GAO Study on Abuse in “Boot Camp” October 11, 2007
Posted by dianedepanfilis in Harmful Programs.2 comments
Usually when we review the “evidence” about programs or interventions, we are in the position of concluding “insufficient” evidence to suggest that an intervention is efficacious or effective, however, in some situations, we need to guard against “help” that is harmful. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report today citing thousands of abuse of youth in Residential Treatment Programs - specifically “Boot Camp” or programs categorized as “wilderness therapy,” intense military-style discipline and other methods. This industry is a largely unregulated cottage industry where youth have been warehoused and abused. Between 1990 and 2004, the GAO found that at least 10 deaths of youth were attributed to poor management and poorly trained staff. You can read more about this in the Washington Post today at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR2007101000825.html?sub=AR
OR - better yet, you can download the full report from
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08146t.pdf
