Scared Straight! was an award-winning documentary on a unique crime prevention program - one that put juvenile delinquents face-to-face with hardened criminals and the horrors of prison life. Although the sentences were only hours long, they were effective enough to deter the teens from wanting to re-offend. Here on Guam, the Department of Youth Affairs has a program of its own. Although much tamer, the agency reports its often enough to set teens on a straight path.

It's an intervention method that moms and dads can request.

"We still do that," shared DYA deputy director Peter Alexcis Ada. "In fact, I was very surprised that two months ago, for three days we were getting phone calls from parents asking what can we do. Send them over." Ada said his agency has a version of Scared Straight!, that although much tamer than the shows we've become familiar with on television, Ada says even a taste of incarceration can leave a lasting impression on Guam's youngest offenders. "We said just stay out there on the bench, we're going to treat this child like any child being brought in," he explained.

Teens are typically scared off at the entrance and the lockups not lasting more than an hour. "The process? Stripped down. Put into the lockup. See how you feel. The minute that patdown begins, they say, 'No, no, no - I don't want this!" he said.

The hope is to keep these juvenile delinquents out of the system and out of the island's already overcrowded prison.

In most cases however, Ada says the program is unnecessary. A quick look at DYA's population shows a decline in the summer months and an increase with the return of the school year. Most delinquents are brought into DYA for not attending classes or missing court hearings. Recently, there was a spike due to school fights. "I often say this: we got the wrong person. We should be getting the parents. So now with the school just opening, we have noticed a little increase because of the fighting and the skipping of school," Ada continued.

There are other ways to keep kids out of DYA. For non-violent offenders, they can choose between suspension and having their parents shadow them to school everyday.

Ultimately, DYA isn't in the business of locking kids up - but making sure they don't make the same mistakes twice. "We're not here to incarcerate. We're here to allow you to recognize that you made wrong choices. You are not a born criminal. You made wrong choices," Ada added.

If you have any questions on any of DYA's programs, you can reach them at 735-5010.