I'm sitting here watching A&E's Beyond Scared Straight where they haul juvenile delinquents into a jail where the inmates yell at them and tell them how bad it is in prison.

The vast majority of the inmates and juvenile delinquents are blacks.  Yet... blacks only account for about 40% of the prison population.

They're running teaser ads for another episode that's at a women's prison and again most of the people I see are black in the ads.  But there are far more white women incarcerated than there are black women.

What's up with that? ???  Is this show really another form of media exploitation of negative black images? ???

I'm sitting here watching A&E's Beyond Scared Straight where they haul juvenile delinquents into a jail where the inmates yell at them and tell them how bad it is in prison.

The vast majority of the inmates and juvenile delinquents are blacks.  Yet... blacks only account for about 40% of the prison population.




Blacks are only 14% of the general population.  I think the question goes to whose more likely to get convicted and incarcerated for which crimes. 

Blacks are only 14% of the general population.  I think the question goes to whose more likely to get convicted and incarcerated for which crimes. 


I know what you're saying for sure.

But then even considering that blacks are disproportionately represented in the actual prison rolls, 'Beyond Scared Straight' goes yet one step further, at least in most of the episodes I saw.

I did see one episode (they were running a marathon last night) where there were more white guys, though.

I wish they woulda had this when I was groing up.  :-\\

I know what you're saying for sure.

But then even considering that blacks are disproportionately represented in the actual prison rolls, 'Beyond Scared Straight' goes yet one step further, at least in most of the episodes I saw.

I did see one episode (they were running a marathon last night) where there were more white guys, though.

I wish they woulda had this when I was groing up.   :-\\


I think there's always been a racist element in those "Scared Straight" programs. 

If you keep stealing candy bars a big scary black guy is gonna make you toss his salad.

If you keep stealing candy bars a big scary black guy is gonna make you toss his salad.


Oh the horrors are even worse than that.  Last night they were telling this kid that there's one toilet for every 50 inmates and when you go in there, all sorts of bodily substances are on the toilet seat... floor... walls... ceiling...  8-P