Ep 6. Hagerstown

In season 1 episode 6 of Beyond Scared Straight, the youth offenders are taken to Hagerstown, where they are confronted by a team of tough, no-nonsense correctional officers. The officers lead the youth through a series of exercises designed to educate them about the harsh realities of prison life.

The episode begins with a young girl named Precious, who is brought to the detention center after running away from home. She is sassy and uncooperative, and the officers quickly decide to give her a dose of harsh reality. They take her on a tour of the prison, showing her the cells, the mess hall, and the exercise yard. Precious is unimpressed, and tells the officers that she doesn't care about prison because she's tough enough to handle it.

The officers decide to put her to the test, and take her to the "wiggle room", a small cell where they play loud music and shine a bright light in the inmate's face. Precious is visibly shaken by the experience, but still refuses to cooperate. The officers tell her that if she doesn't change her attitude, she'll end up in a real cell with real inmates.

Next up is a young man named Mikey, who has been arrested for robbery. Mikey is sullen and uncooperative, and the officers decide to take him through a rigorous physical workout. They make him do push-ups, pull-ups, and other exercises until he is exhausted and in tears. Mikey eventually breaks down and tells the officers that he doesn't want to go to jail. The officers use this admission as a way to try and reform him, telling him that he can change his life if he makes different choices.

The third youth offender is a young man named D'Andre, who is serving time for selling drugs. D'Andre is cocky and confident, and the officers decide to take him through a series of exercises designed to show him how little control he has over his life. They make him stand in a line with the other inmates, then call out random numbers. If D'Andre's number is called, he has to drop and do push-ups. The officers repeat this exercise over and over, until D'Andre is exhausted and humiliated.

The final youth offender is a young man named Todd, who has been arrested for assault. Todd is angry and aggressive, and the officers decide to take him to the "boot camp" section of the prison. Here, they put him through a series of drills designed to instill discipline and respect. Todd resists at first, but eventually gets into the spirit of things, and even admits that he has learned something from the experience.

Overall, the Hagerstown episode of Beyond Scared Straight is a powerful portrayal of the harsh realities of prison life. The show does an excellent job of showing the youth offenders the consequences of their actions, and the toll that life behind bars can take on a person's mental and emotional health. Through a combination of tough love and a no-nonsense approach, the corrections officers are able to reach some of the youth, showing them that there is another path they can take. While not every offender is able to change their ways, the show ends on a hopeful note, with some of the youth offenders coming away from the experience with a newfound respect for authority and the law.