Kids Behind Bars: Prison Camp for Children | Free Documentary Shorts

Children Sent to Prison for Bad Grades

In Chester, South Carolina, children as young as 8 years old are being sent to jail for the weekend. These kids are not convicted prisoners, but instead, their own parents have sent them there as an extreme educational measure. The goal of this program is to push children physically and mentally to their limits, with the hope that they will learn from the experience and avoid the path to real criminal offenses. But is this method of deterrence the right way to teach children the consequences of their actions?

The Weekend Experience

The children arrive at the jail on Friday, just before 6 o'clock in the morning, wearing handcuffs and prison clothes. They will spend the entire weekend here, among real inmates, and are only allowed contact with their parents through a thick glass panel. The parents pay $75 for their children to experience life behind bars, even though they have not committed a crime.

Real Inmates

An important part of the program is meeting real inmates, but before that happens, the children have to spend their first night in a cell. The next day, they visit a nearby city park for social work time before finally meeting the inmates. Some of these inmates are even serving time for murder. The experience is intended to leave an impression on the children and show them the harsh realities of life behind bars.

The Impact of the Program

The program has been around since 2012, and according to program co-founder, Lieutenant Neil, it has a success rate of seven out of around 750 children who have had serious problems with the law afterward. The police officers who volunteer for the program are not paid, but they believe that it is worth sacrificing their weekends to help the children.

Ethical Concerns

However, the program also raises ethical concerns. Is it right to subject young children to such harsh treatment, even if it is meant to be educational? And is it fair that only parents who can afford the $75 fee have access to this kind of educational experience for their children?

Conclusion

Sending children to jail for bad grades may be a controversial and extreme educational measure, but some parents see it as a last resort to steer their children away from a life of crime. The program has its supporters and its critics, but ultimately, the impact of this kind of experience on a child's life remains to be seen.

Bullet Points:

Why the Program Exists

According to Lieutenant Neil, one of the co-founders of the program, the reason why he is invested in it is because he was once an average youth who engaged in gang activities. He believes that this program can help kids avoid the same mistakes he made and create better lives for themselves. This program has been around since 2012, and it aims to prevent children from becoming repeat offenders. However, it's not clear whether the program is effective in achieving its goal. Out of around 750 children who have participated in the program, only seven have had serious problems with the law afterwards.

Meeting Real Inmates

An important part of the program is meeting real inmates. Before that happens, the kids have to spend their first night in a cell. The next day, the tone changes as the deputies try to talk some sense to the kids. There is no specific profile for the program. The decision to send a child to prison lies solely with their parents. The children are taken to the nearby city park for social work time, and on the way there, one can see that drugs and gangs are a big problem in Chester.

Deputies' Sacrifices

The police voluntarily sacrifice their weekends once a month for the program. They are not paid, but they see the value in the program. Deputy Graham even took part in a similar program when he was a teenager. This experience has helped him relate to the kids and the situations they face on the streets. The deputies believe that the program's success is due to their harsh treatment of the kids. They feel that by being hard on them, they can prevent them from becoming repeat offenders and ensure that they take a different path in life.

A Controversial Program

The program has received criticism for its extreme handling of the children. Some people question whether it is necessary for an eight-year-old to spend a weekend in jail. The deputies argue that the children need to understand what prison life feels like and everything that goes with it. This extreme deterrence is meant to keep people from going to prison in the future. However, some people feel that there are better ways to teach children the consequences of their actions without resorting to such drastic measures.

Conclusion

The program in Chester, South Carolina, is controversial, to say the least. While some people support it and believe that it can help prevent children from becoming repeat offenders, others question its effectiveness and whether it is necessary for children to spend a weekend in jail. The program's success rate is low, with only seven out of around 750 children having serious problems with the law afterwards. However, the police involved in the program believe in it and feel that their harsh treatment of the kids is necessary to ensure that they take a different path in life. The debate around the program will undoubtedly continue, but one thing is clear: something needs to be done to prevent children from becoming repeat offenders and help them lead better lives.