Content warning: this article includes semi-detailed descriptions of the physical, emotional, sexual and psychological abuse of children. Some of these instances resulted in death. 

Seven Standen

A new Netflix documentary, The Program, is revisiting the horrors of the troubled teen industry in the United States. It follows the success of Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare, released last year by the same streaming platform, and dives further into the hidden epidemic of abuse. 

The troubled teen industry, estimated to be worth billions of dollars, supposedly treats young people with behavioural and psychological problems. In reality, between 120,000–200,000 children are currently being abused daily in schools, camps and centres across America. Many survivors are unable to talk about what they went through, while others continue to be ignored or gaslit about their experiences.

Despite the whistle being blown by former victims, including famous socialite Paris Hilton, parents continue to invest in these programs. Often, the troubled teen industry is seen as a last resort for children who can’t be helped by conventional schools or support networks. Their extreme methods are deemed necessary to “save” rebellious teenagers. And, over the last few decades, the problem has expanded beyond rural America.

What Is The Troubled Teen Industry?

Beginning in the 1960s, the troubled teen industry (TTI) rose to prominence during the 80s in the United States. The catch-all term ‘TTI‘ includes youth residential treatment centres, wilderness programs, boot camps and therapeutic boarding schools. These schools are seen as a ‘last resort‘ for troubled teenagers, whose parents believe they needed rehabilitation. Troubled teens include juvenile delinquents, those mentally ill or disabled, runaways or school dropouts, substance users or those who resist parental expectations.

These schools use the principles of tough love and attack therapy — believed to be the best approach to parenting rebellious teens in the 1980s — to justify child abuse. Teenagers are verbally abused, physically and chemically restrained, locked in solitary confinement and subjected to excessive strip searches. The abuse of children is not just commonplace, but standard industry practice.

Despite this, TTI programmes are endorsed by a range of highly respected figures. In the 1980s, Princess Diana and Nancy Reagan both visited several of these camps. Marie Osmond was close friends with the owner of the Diamond Ranch Academy, where she reportedly sent several of her children. It is believed to be the “rehabilitation centre” her son Michael Blosil (who later committed suicide in 2010) was treated at in 2007. Both of Roseanne Barr’s daughters were sent to multiple TTI programmes.

A Bridge To The Past

While many people believe these schools to be a thing of the past, they still exist today.

Danielle Bregoli (better known as Bhad Bhabie) was sent to a wilderness school in 2016, following her appearance on Dr. Phil. In a statement, Bregoli said sending “troubled teens” away to programs like this is “part of the whole Dr. Phil show”. Phillip McGraw — more commonly known as Dr Phil — has repeatedly been criticised for endorsing these abusive wilderness camps.

Last year, Paris Hilton joined lawmakers to introduce a bill to end TTI abuse. Hilton recently opened up about the childhood abuse she experienced at these institutes, where she endured verbal, emotional and sexual abuse. Her documentary and autobiography have played a large part in bringing awareness to the reality of the TTI.

Hilton said: “From the ages of 16 to 18, I was sent to four troubled teen industry facilities, each one more horrific than the last… What I went through will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Abusive tactics, such as seclusion and restraints, are still being used at 82 percent of facilities.

Despite children being abused and even killed by the industry, there are no federal laws governing private, for-profit residential treatment programs, boot camps and wilderness programs. Even Hilton’s testimony hasn’t damaged the reputation of Provo Canyon School, which is still operating today.

Crimes Of The Troubled Teen Industry

While a large number of problems aren’t investigated, the list of legal issues faced by TTI schools and programmes is endless. Physical punishments, such as being shackled, beaten by staff or forced into stress positions, result in mild to major injuries. Some programmes even offer transportation services, where children are woken up at night, handcuffed and forced into vehicles by strangers. The latter is technically legal.

“Parents are gaslit into thinking their children couldn’t be trusted, so allegations of abuse are ignored.”

Heatstroke and dehydration are common at wilderness programmes. In addition to being deprived of water, children spend long days hiking and forced into sweat lodges. Ian August (2002) and Sergey Blashchishen (2009) both died of dehydration. August’s death was the fifth to happen at an Utah wilderness program since 1990 and resulted in the camp losing their license. All five victims were accused of faking it prior to their deaths.

Psychological And Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse takes place at a lot of troubled teen facilities. Many TTI schools are unlicensed and unregulated, so staff take advantage of their powerful positions over vulnerable children. Hilton writes in her memoir that parents are gaslit into thinking their children couldn’t be trusted, so allegations of abuse are ignored. Her parents said the “abuse” she reported was just an excuse to leave the school. Victims are gaslit and shamed into silence.

The majority of ‘treatment’ tactics employed by the industry are nothing more than psychological abuse.

Many facilities, especially CEDU schools, adopt ‘attack therapy’ from the Synanon cult: each child is criticised, humiliated, and verbally abused until they break down. Instead of schoolwork, children write about the ‘problems’ they have been sent away for. This provides further ammunition for group sessions.

Some programmes use ‘primal therapy’ where traumatic situations, such as rape, are reenacted. Others hold mock executions or made students dig their own graves. Solitary confinement, which sometimes involves children lying flat on the ground and staying completely still for days, is commonly used as a disciplinary measure.

More Than The American Dream

While American institutes have attracted the most media attention, the troubled teen industry has become a global phenomenon. There are specialist schools and camps around the world, especially in Asia. Spoilt or underperforming teenagers in South Korea even attend government-run military bootcamps.

But, outside of the US, it’s China who has one of the biggest industries for troubled teens. Difficult teenagers face the prospect of a few months or years in these strict programs. The schools combine military training, psychological counselling, and education to make graduates into “well-behaved children”.

“Most evidence at the abuse taking place at these schools… is only available on Reddit or similar sites that host User-Generated Content.”

The biggest motivation for Chinese parents to send their children away is internet addiction, which affects 23 percent of middle schoolers. Internet addiction is such a big problem among China’s youth that specialist clinics and camps exist purely to “cure” it. Alongside military training, medication and electroshock therapy are often inflicted on children. However, it’s often disputed whether the young people sent to these camps even have an addiction to begin with.

Despite many clinics being exposed for abuse, they are rarely closed down. Filmmaker Zhang Mengtai, who was sent to Youth Psychological Growth Base in 2007, was surprised to find the clinic was still in operation. Changing their name and address allows these clinics to remain in operation.

Is There A Cover-Up Conspiracy?

Not only is it difficult to close down the TTI, it can be incredibly difficult to find information online. Most evidence of the abuse taking place at these schools (which are still active today) is only available on Reddit or similar sites that host User-Generated Content. Although Netflix documentaries and celebrity memoirs are raising awareness of TTI abuse, information continues to be wiped from the internet.

Barbara Walters, Rosie O’Donnell, and Clint Eastwood all sent their children to CEDU schools. But, interestingly, the articles about their children being abused by CEDU have been removed retroactively. It’s likely these aren’t the only examples of unsavoury information about the TTI to disappear — just like they made children vanish.

Many of these private facilities receive billions of dollars and are endorsed by celebrities, including government officials. It wouldn’t be surprising if these schools were being kept open and allegations repressed by the wealthy and powerful, similar to Epstein’s island. After all, CEDU have successfully covered up the disappearances of hundreds of children. More questions need to be asked about why the troubled teen industry still exists in 2024.

If you are affected by issues raised in this article, The National Association For People Abused In Childhood can be reached at 0808 801 0331. Their helpline is free and confidential. You can also email support@napac.org.uk. More information is available on their website.

Breaking Code Silence is a charity for children, youth, and adults who are/were incarcerated in the U.S. troubled teen industry (TTI). More information is available on their website.

If you are in need of urgent help or medical advice, for yourself or someone else, please contact 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123 if you or someone else is in immediate danger. 

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Featured image courtesy of Andy Li on Unsplash. No changes made to this image. Image license here.

Seven (they/them) is a BA History and Sociology student at the University of Warwick. They are a freelance journalist, disability advocate, and lover of cats.

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