Posts Tagged ‘family issues’

The Review Of Scared Straight

June 21st, 2010

Arnold Shapiro delivered a masterpiece thriller in 1976 named Scared Straight!. Peter Falk rendered his voice to the narrative parts to add a touch of seriousness to the film. The film was intended to be a documentary depicting the life of a few teenagers who had gone astray and attempted to become big time criminals. The movie opens with a portrayal of how these boys were discontent with society in general and how being criminal seemed to them as a way of escaping its brutalities. It is saddening when each of them relates his stories of unruliness and all the evil things he has done.

The documentary shows the true life of criminals and the inmates of the prison and how they fight, trade people for cigarettes and scare the new prisoners. They threaten to kill those who do not accept their terms. The movie is basically a harsh representation of all the gruesome realities that take place in prison.

This film was among the first to be broadcasted on TV in the uncensored format. The word Fuck was not censored in this movie and then became common among the audiences of the time. Mikie C played the role of a drug dealer, Jerome Watts portrayed a street gang member, Jon Shipiro put in his part as a bomb maker and Carlo Gallo pulled off a master act as the son of a mafia informant. Also lesser known roles were that of a car thief and a market dealer.

Less eminent roles included those of a thief and black market dealer. The ending part of the film is quite dramatic with the teenagers aghast with the harsh world that they have been thrown into and wishing to change to become better human beings and live a life that is useful to society.

The hard work and honesty that the director showed while bringing such a sensitive topic to the notice of the audience was much appreciated. Many critics applauded the effort while there were some that felt the handling of the topic was distasteful. Nevertheless the movie went on to win the 1976 Academy award for Best Documentary Feature. The documentary also ended up winning two Emmys under separate categories in the same year.

Several critics however showered accolades upon the director for his honest portrayal of the brutal realities of leading a criminal life and called it as a lesson to all those wayward youngsters who ought to learn to blend in to society.

It was a landmark in film making that a film on such a sensitive topic was not just envisioned but made, acclaimed and released uncensored to a vast audience. However, the message of the movie was not completely received by the audience. The unfortunate result of this was that the people started becoming more violent and showed increasing tendencies towards criminal behavior.

Inspite of all this, the movie cult following remains intact and it still is a classic thrill even 32 years after its release. The boldness of the director in choosing a whole new kind of storyline and the honest way in which he dealt with the portrayals in the movie are what makes it so special and keeps it charm alive even today.

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categories: scared straight,teen,teenagers,family therapy,family issues,parenting,parents,therapy

Considering A Boarding School For Boys?

June 20th, 2010

Even though public education is free here in the U. S., many parents have reasons to send their children elsewhere for an education. Some may not be satisfied with the quality of the local government-run schools, and others may have children with special needs. One option is to find a school that’s away from home, and to send the children there to live. Throughout history, this option has been particularly popular for boys. There’s a lot of information on the web about choosing a boarding school for boys.

Parents can make a choice depending upon the needs of their child. Those who would just like something better than the local public option can opt for a “prep school”, which will generally teach grades 9 through 12. The main difference between them and your local public option is that the courses are specifically geared toward preparing the boys for college. (You’ll also find some that teach grades 6 through 9.)

Some of these academies are run on a military model, where students are required to learn military discipline and wear military uniforms. They may also have JROTC programs, where students are required to take courses on leadership, and to take part in drills and ceremonies. Other academies are geared more toward the civilian world, and some may be associated with a church. And, you’d be surprised to learn how old some institutions are. (At least one has been in operation since the late 18th century.)

Either way, their advertising brochures talk about their accreditation, their focus on academic superiority, and their small class sizes. (There may even mention about the number of their graduates who go on to do well in college.) Also, they claim to teach creativity, critical thinking skills, and about how to learn.

They’ll also talk about their athletic and social activities, and about how they can mold a student’s character into that of a productive and well-adjusted adult. Many of these are located in either small towns or out in the countryside. In general, the faculty also live on premises.

Other academies have been established for children with behavioral or emotional problems. They can help children with a wide range of issues, such as ADHD, substance abuse, anger management, or depression. You may find these located either in the mountain wilderness, or on a Western desert ranch. Either way, vigorous outdoor activity is a major component of the therapy. Counselling for parents might also be available.

So, you might be wondering, how is it advantageous to send children to single-sex schools?

Many people claim that children can learn more competently when they aren’t pressured to interface with the other sex. Some studies demonstrate that students at a single-sex learning institution have a better record of academic achievement. Girls, some specialists explain, learn differently from boys, so teaching methods should be specifically designed for each sex.

If you think you’d like to consider one of these alternatives, you’ll want to note that they are quite expensive. But, financial aid is offered at some academies.

Your preferred search engine can assist you in finding a boarding school for boys.

Diamond Ranch Academy is a top rated boarding school for boys. It provides formal educational learning, physical activity and a great facility for youngsters who need a structured environment for learning.

categories: military school,boarding school,family,therapy,teen,teenagers,troubled teens,family issues,teen issues,drugs,alcohol,adhd