Updated on May 7, 2024
The Truth About Reform Schools and Troubled Teen Programs
Are Reform Schools Outdated and Dangerous? Understanding Modern Alternatives
Parents face unprecedented challenges in today’s rapidly evolving educational and psychological landscape.
With nearly nine out of ten school-aged children experiencing anxiety and with increasing concerns over violence and mental health—especially among teenage girls—it’s crucial to ask:
Are traditional reform schools still the best option for our troubled teens?
This article delves into the history of reform schools, unpacks their long-term impacts, and contrasts them with modern, more therapeutic alternatives that not only aim to correct behavior but also nurture and rehabilitate.
Join us as we explore effective solutions that prioritize your child’s mental well-being and future success.
86% of school-aged kids reported worrying at least some of the time.(1)
The same survey revealed that over 40% of high school students felt so sad or hopeless that it stopped them from doing their usual activities for at least two weeks.
There are widespread mental health issues, violence, and suicidal behavior among teens. According to CNN.
A Look Back to How Reform Schools for Delinquent Children Began
One of the first reform schools for so-called “delinquent” children, the Philadelphia House of Refuge, opened 200 years ago in Pennsylvania.
Later renamed the Glen Mills School, this reformatory school for boys remained operational until March 25, 2019.
The school mandate was to fix teen behavioral issues by using draconian tactics.
On that day, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ordered all boys removed from the school and Glen Mills School closed.
An investigation by Philadelphia newspaper reporters discovered the school had not been complying with internal and state regulations for decades.
Documentation provided by journalists to the PDH proved that abuse and neglect were consistently covered up and that the reform school and the staff knew about the rampant physical and sexual abuse.
In fact, the investigative report described the horrors occurring within the school as an “open secret.”
In January 2023, the mass tort case against Glen Mills School was settled for $3 million.
The case shed light on appalling abuse experienced by over 700 former resident students including physical, sexual and verbal abuse for over 40 years.
From Punishment to Mental Health Treatment - Why Teens Need a Therapeutic Environment
Fortunately, Glen Mills School was one of the few remaining teen reform schools still operating in the U.S. today.
Since the 1990s, states have been rapidly moving away from the prison-like atmosphere of reformatories to adopt more therapeutic environments in which teen behavioral issues can be empathetically addressed.
Therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment centers for troubled teens have now replaced outdated teen reform schools.
Reformatory Schools for "Bad Kids" in the U.S.
Up until the early 19th century, children who committed crimes were sent to adult penitentiaries. The idea that children were just “little adults” remained pervasive in society until child advocates began speaking out about the horrors of penitentiary life.
Supported by the ideas of early developmental psychologists John Watson and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, advocates believed that children could not be reformed by living with adult criminals.
Instead, children with mental health or behavioral issues would fare better in reformatories meant for children and teens only.
By the beginning of the 20th century, a new group of activists deemed the child savers rightly claimed that overcrowded reformatories were no better than adult penitentiaries.
These child savers were ultimately responsible for enlisting state governments to develop the juvenile court system that we have today.
But what they hoped this new juvenile court system would accomplish merely evolved as a more widely accepted form of unjust and cruel punishment for children who came from poor, uneducated backgrounds.
The Harsh Reality of Reform Schools
An Unsympathetic Substitute for Juvenile Detention
After World War II, the juvenile justice system until the beginning of the 21st century routinely sent boys to reformatories for committing crimes as minor as stealing an apple from a street vendor.
Reform schools for girls existed but predominately operated in urban areas like Chicago or New York City.
The conformist, conservative ideology embraced by society in the 1950s and 1960s had no sympathy or tolerance for troubled teenagers, especially poor children.
One insidious aspect of the antiquated reform school structure involved the ability of wealthier parents to persuade juvenile court judges that their children weren’t “bad juvenile offenders” but just children who needed more discipline at home.
Consequently, corruption in the juvenile justice system further prevented the ability of troubled kids to get the kind of professional help they so desperately needed.
What did “reforming” children mean to society before the 1990s? The dictionary definition of reform is “to improve something or someone by correcting or removing faults, bad habits or problems.”
Today's Programs for Troubled Teens vs. Reform School
To view the answer to each question, simply click on the downward-facing caret (↓) next to the question. This will expand the toggle and display the answer below.
Is reform school the same as therapeutic boarding school?
No, reputable therapeutic boarding schools do not use draconian behavioral modification tactics to correct teenagers’ bad behavior instead they provide the necessary support and therapies to help students with emotional, behavioral, and mental health issues cope and heal.
How are residential treatment centers similar to reform schools?
There are many differences between residential treatment and reform schools in the US.
Residential treatment centers are clinical facilities with 24/7 supervision by medical practitioners and specialize in providing a therapeutic environment for children and families, while reform schools do not.
Residential treatment for teens offers behavioral health services including multiple therapies and treatments for teens diagnosed with anxiety and depression, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), co-occurring and dual-diagnosis disorders, eating disorders (mild to moderate); obsessive-compulsive disorder, and oppositional defiance disorder. Reform schools focus on “reforming bad behavior”.
Lastly, in residential treatment centers, children are helped by medical professionals: clinicians, psychologists, therapists, and counselors. In contrast, at reform schools, they may not be getting help from people with these backgrounds.
Religious leaders held great authority in the 19th and 20th centuries and told their congregations that “bad” children could only be reformed through discipline, hard work, praying, and living in rigorously controlled environments.
In other words, “spare the rod, spoil the child” became the mantra of ministers, police officers, and juvenile court judges when determining the fate of a behaviorally troubled child.
Why Reform Schools Fail Troubled Teens
We know now that this type of “therapy” simply does not work. Children with emotional and mental issues need professional, caring help from people who are experienced and trained to diagnose and treat troubled youth.
Thousands of studies investigating the efficacy of teen reform schools have proved that children who spent time in a reform school like Glen Mills grow into adults who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe mental illness, substance addiction, and lengthy criminal histories.
Today, we rarely hear the term “reform school.” Sometimes, a private organization or a local government may offer different types of reformatory care as a correctional institution for certain juveniles but this is becoming increasingly rare.
The Effect of Reform School on Troubled Teens
Effective Teen Rehabilitation Today is All About Treatment of Behavioral Disorders
Instead, reform schools have been replaced by alternative schools, therapeutic boarding schools, wilderness therapy programs and residential treatment centers (RTCs) providing exceptional, empathetic treatment for boys and girls with developmental, emotional, and mental health challenges.
Research has proven that by punishing a child’s behavior, we are only adding to the child’s trauma, more often than not, worsening the behavior, creating conduct disorders and other behavioral dysfunctions.
Unlike harmful reform schools, RTCs treat the child’s condition and identify the root cause of their distress.
The Unparalleled Advantages of Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Residential Treatment Centers
Can Reform Schools Help Troubled Teens?
Choose Residential Treatment Centers Over Reform Schools for Teens. When a child enters a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) or Therapeutic Boarding School (TBS), they receive a diagnosis and appropriate treatment for their specific needs.
A residential treatment center (RTC) provides 24/7 supervision and a structured environment for children with mental health and behavioral issues. However, residential treatment centers are nothing like institutional reform schools.
Contrary to popular belief, teens in RTCs enjoy their own bedrooms, unrestricted movement within the center, and active participation in various recreational and social activities.
They are required to participate in individual and group therapy sessions, psychological counseling, and family therapy sessions with parents via Zoom or video conference and they attend accredited school programs so they can catch up in their academics.
Depending on a teen’s diagnosis and their treatment plan a resident may remain in the center for 3-9 months but rarely more than one year.
Demystifying Residential Treatment: Why are RTCs So Controversial?
Residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools are often shrouded in misconceptions, myths and controversies, leading to unnecessary worries for parents.
Understanding the truth about these treatment options for teens who struggle with behavioral disorders or have mental health issues will help parents like you make informed decisions about your child’s future and the treatment they need to get better.
These treatment centers should not be considered as a last resort; in fact, they should be a proactive step towards ensuring a healthier, happier future for teens.
Let's Debunk The Myths About Therapeutic Programs for Troubled Teens
Explore myths and truths about therapeutic programs for troubled teens. Hover over each outer circle to reveal the reality in the central circle.
Reality: RTC offers a balanced structure promoting self-discipline and mental health without stifling individuality.
Reality: Teens in these programs are dealing with complex emotional or mental health issues that require professional intervention, not punishment.
Reality: Therapeutic programs for troubled teens provide a safe, supervised environment, prepares them for life after treatment and teaches essential life and coping skills.
Reality: Education and therapy are the priority. Every child has a personalized academic plans to help students catch up or keep up with their schoolwork.
Reality: Costs vary; many programs offer a range of payment options and scholarships, and some health insurance companies cover some of the costs.
Too Restrictive
Reality: RTC offers a balanced structure promoting self-discipline and mental health without stifling the individual.
For Bad Kids
Reality: These programs are for teens dealing with complex emotional or mental health issues that require professional intervention, not punishment.
Zero Academics
Reality: These institutions prioritize education and therapy. They provide personalized academic plans to help students catch up or keep up with their schoolwork.
"Not Real Life"
Reality: RTCs and TBS provide a safe, therapeutic environment and prepare teens for life beyond treatment. They learn essential life skills and coping strategies.
Only for Wealthy Kids
Reality: Costs vary; many programs offer a range of payment options and scholarships, and some health insurance companies cover some of the costs.
For more information about treatment centers and schools for troubled teens, contact us today and speak to a family advisor who can help you get your child the help they need.
Does Your Child Need Help?
Sources:
(1)Survey by Nemours KidsHealth.
Updates:
04/25/2024 – Settlement of Glen Mills School legal case. – Updated the myths about teen therapeutic programs.
