Effectiveness National Level of the “Boot Camp” Programs

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Boot Camps
The rate of criminal offenses in the United States is increasing day in day out. The offenders need to be regulated by either use of punishments or rehabilitation programs so that no more offenses are committed. The boot camp programs ensure that the offenders learn to work hard, obey the laws in their country, and understand the consequences of their actions. The programs are run as a basic military training for young offenders, adults, and youthful felons. The programs were first initiated at Oklahoma and Georgia which continued to expand leading to a vast diversity in the number, type, and size of boot camp programs (Doris and Hebert, pg. 191).
The programs are modeled after basic military training. Offenders often enter the programs in groups that are commonly called platoons. They are directed to wear military-style uniforms, then, march to and from the activities, and respond faster to the commands of the drill instructors. The programs employ physical exercise, drills, ceremonies and uniforms in an attempt to instill discipline and respect in criminal defendants. These practices have made the boot camp programs to be effective. In the camps, the offenders are taken through training to acquire skills on how to survive in this competitive world. The Camps provide conducive environments that make the offenders relax and get to understand the value in living a disciplined life. Although sometimes the camps impose a military style like punishment to those violent criminals who are difficult to be rehabilitated (Dale, pg.3).
In the camps, the youths are required to wake up early and stay working throughout the day. Although the programs differ to some extent, the schedule normally includes drill and ceremony practice, strenuous physical fitness activities to harden the offenders and reduce violence level in them, and challenge programs like ropes courses and academic education offered too. In most circumstances, the youths in the camps receive some punishments, for instance, doing pushups, when they have misbehaved (MacKenzie, Gover, and Armstrong, pg. 12). The camps prisons have proved to be controversial over time, as critics argue that the practices, do not reduce crime rate level as it is expected. But, the boot camps have succeeded in general and therefore should continue to run to rehabilitate many offenders, provide them a conducive atmosphere and also save the governments funds that otherwise could have been wasted in regular prisons.
Effectiveness of the Programs
According to the research, the programs have been used to change the offenders in boot camps. The most effective program was found to be the rehabilitation programs. Camps need to use a program that suits both violent and non-violent prisoners. When both are informed on the importance of having good values they are likely to change. Human beings have brains and therefore when approached appropriately, they will listen. Those who have lost hope can get it back through educative and encouraging programs in the process of rehabilitation. Punishment programs in camps should be reduced since they make majority suffer, making them feel hopeless in life hence such programs should be disregarded (Cowles, pg. 15).
Although the programs have succeeded, many researchers have proposed for a revision of the boot camp idea to benefit all the offenders. In making changes in correction programs to suit the offenders, the researchers recommend a collaboration of their blueprint concept with the adventure challenge. Experiential learning lies at the core of such programs. The research on the effects of treatment shows that treatment programs with particular characteristics are advantageous in reducing future delinquent and criminal activities. Effective programs target offenders who are at risk of recidivism, they are modeled through cognitive-behavior theoretical models and are sensitive to juveniles’ learning styles and characteristics, and address the characteristics of youths directly associated with criminal activity (MacKenzi and Herbert, pg. 20). Youths should receive sufficient dosage of treatment regarding the amount of contact, the length of the program and the treatment should have therapeutic integrity. Many evaluations have been carried to test whether boot camps have an impact on repeat offending. The reports indicated that the graduates from these camps have lower rates of repeat offending than ex-prisoners. Later, the research showed that the difference between the two release groups has significantly disappeared meaning, they portray similar characteristics. The camps evaluations offer no evidence to indicate that future criminal behavior is reduced through this type of intervention. An assessment of the program in Georgia, whose regime at the time emphasized military aspects and contained little in the way of therapeutic programming, actually showed higher recidivism. According to the research, despite the fact that the programs aim at changing the behavior of the offenders, it is found that such programs had little or no effect on crime rates. Also, before evaluating the effectiveness of boot camp programs, one need to put into considera...