MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C.,None — A program run by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office gives young people a glimpse of what life is like in prison.
The Reality Program was created to educate children and teenagers about the long-term effects of crime. Participants report to the Mecklenburg County Jail at 8 a.m. on a Saturday and are outfitted in jail jumpsuits, given wristbands and fingerprinted.
Participants in the program are signed up by their parents, or by school resource officers, with parents' consent. They range in age from 9 to 16, and have been in some type of trouble.
The youth are briefly placed in cells and also take part in a jail visit. After that, participants hear from an inmate who describes how he got to that point in his life.
During one visit, participants heard from a gang member serving time, who said his friends abandoned him once he was arrested.
"It ain't no gang when you get in here, when you can't see your family, can't see your kids," he said. "This ain't where you want to be."
In the end, the children and teenagers have a jail "visit" with their families, during which they are encouraged to do all the talking.
Law enforcement officials hope the program is enough to scare young people straight, so that they won't see them back in the jail again.
Last year, 150 children participated in the free program. Out of that group, only one got in trouble with the law again.
After completing the tour, participants are required to return on another Saturday for a Reality Teen Summit, during which they're invited to have an open discussion about the issues they face. At its close, they receive certificates of completion. While they are only required to attend one Teen Summit, they are allowed to attend all 12.
For more information on the program, call 704-353-0819 or click here.