Beyond Scared Straight "Chowchilla" Tuesday, Jan 18 at 9:00 PM - From A&E a brand new television series which is aimed at taking viewers into some of the toughest prisons in America to observe inmate-run programs aimed at showing troubled teens the horrors of prison life. They hope to influence and deter teenagers from becoming the convicts of tomorrow.
Every episode will focus on one group of teens as they visit the prison. They follow up with them one month later to see if they've changed their ways.
In the season premiere episode "Chowchilla," inmates at the Valley State Prison for Women try to keep five young girls from becoming convicts.
According to the TV Guide, the new unscripted show "Beyond Scared Straight" attracted 3.7 million viewers making it the network's most-watched series to date.
Scared Straight! is the Academy Award & multiple-Emmy®-winning documentary film by Arnold Shapiro.
The documentary made a big impact on audiences through its portrayal of an effective juvenile prevention/intervention program at a NJ prison. Over the years, both the prison program and the film have turned countless kids away from drugs, violence and crime, and kept them out of prison.
Produced by Arnold Shapiro, the show profiles the new approach to keeping today's teens from becoming tomorrow's prisoners.
Each one-hour episode focuses on a different inmate-run program in the U.S., and follows four or five at-risk teens before they attend the program, throughout their day inside the prison, immediately afterward, and then follows up with them one-month later to see the lasting impact of the experience on their lives. Beyond Scared Straight is about transforming the lives of young people through intervention and second chances.
Beyond Scared Straight is produced by Arnold Shapiro Productions for A&E Network.
Executive Producer is Arnold Shapiro.
Co-Executive Producer is Paul J. Coyne.
A&E Executive Producers are Laura Fleury, Jordana Hochman and Robert Sharenow.
A&E will replay "Chowchilla" Tuesday, Jan 18 at 9:00 PM, but you can watch the video of this first episode now in the video box posted to the left of this article.
"Jessup," a brand new episode of "Beyond Scared Straight" airs Thursday, Jan 20, at 10:00 PM on A&E. Episode Description: Hardened criminals at the California prison that is home to Charles Manson give teens a taste of life on the yard, where any prisoner can approach the kids and give them a feel for the dangers of prison life. The teens include Stephen, 16, a violent youth who threatens his teachers; Josh and Armando, 16, twin brothers and gang members; Elijha, 15, a car thief; and Abraham, 16, who thinks that going to jail is no big deal.
