Ep 3. Corcoran

In the third episode of Beyond Scared Straight season 1, titled "Corcoran," viewers are taken inside one of the toughest juvenile detention centers in the country. Located in central California, the California State Prison, Corcoran houses some of the most violent and dangerous juvenile offenders in the area.

The episode begins with a group of at-risk teens visiting Corcoran as part of a Scared Straight program. The program is designed to show troubled youth what life is like in prison and hopefully deter them from a life of crime. The group of teens ranges in age from 12 to 17 and includes both boys and girls.

As soon as they arrive, the teens are greeted by a group of hardened inmates who have volunteered to participate in the program. The inmates immediately begin shouting at the teens, using profanity and threats to try to scare them straight. The teens look uncomfortable and scared, but many of them try to hide it with a tough exterior.

The first stop on the tour is the prison yard, where the teens are shocked to see dozens of tattooed and muscular inmates working out, playing basketball, and just hanging out. Many of the inmates are covered in gang tattoos and the air is tense with the dangerous energy of these young criminals.

Next, the teens are taken inside one of the cell blocks and shown the cramped and dirty living quarters of the inmates. The cells are tiny and offer no privacy, with just a thin metal bunk and a toilet in each one. The teens are appalled at the conditions and several of them comment on how they could never survive living like this.

The group then moves on to the dining hall, where the inmates are served a typical prison meal of unappetizing looking food. The teens are shocked at the lack of nutrients and unappetizing food options.

Throughout the tour, the inmates continue to yell and threaten the teens, trying to break through their tough exteriors and get them to see the reality of life inside prison walls. Many of the teens seem scared and convinced that they never want to end up in a place like Corcoran.

The climax of the episode comes when the teens are taken to the prison chapel and shown a video of what happens when inmates misbehave or break the rules. The video shows graphic images of violent fights, beatings, and even an inmate being tased by guards. The teens are visibly shaken and some of them begin to tear up.

Overall, "Corcoran" is a powerful episode of Beyond Scared Straight that shows viewers just how tough life can be for juvenile offenders. The Scared Straight program is an intense and eye-opening experience for the at-risk teens who participate, and many viewers will agree that it is a necessary step in helping troubled youth turn their lives around.