ABSTRACT
Well over 100 evaluations of boot camp programs have been conducted, and with rare exceptions, most evaluations did not find reduced recidivism; some show that gains made during program participation evaporate quickly (“wash out”) after the offender was released back into the community. Although well intentioned and mostly staffed by an enthusiastic and optimistic cadre, boot camps have several fatal flaws: for the most part they do not target criminogenic needs, they fail to treat effectively, and they model aggressive behavior.
