DeMuro has drawn attention to deaths in boot camps, the use of military discipline to disguise staff mistreatment particularly of minority youth, and the absence of follow-up supports when youth return to their communities. He has predicted an increase in adult court referrals as youth who fail to complete boot camps or are rearrested after their release are no longer viewed as eligible for juvenile court. David Altschuler, a professor and researcher at Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, is directing a long-term study of aftercare for juveniles leaving secure facilities. Altschuler has argued that incarceration is only as effective as the reintegration services supporting youths to avoid their former criminal lifestyle when they return home. Since the observations of prominent juvenile justice experts and the absence of positive outcome studies have not deterred incarceration-minded politicians, perhaps we should consider educating the public about the dangers of juvenile boot camps through their experiences as parents.
Parents search for a wise balance of love and limits to meet their teenagers' needs.
The adult criminal system in general, and boot camps in particular, fail the basic test of balancing nurturing and opportunities for independence. They especially see group punishment as unfair. Many youth who have been physically or sexually abused or exposed to substance abuse or domestic violence in their families react especially negatively to imposed outside controls. Although youth may alter their behavior momentarily to avoid adverse consequences, attitudes and behaviors seldom change as a result of punishment. Given their reaction against unfairness, imposed structure, and punishment, it is not surprising that young people reject what might be offered as assistance when they mistrust the adults in charge as unfair, controlling, and punitive.