History Main / JuvenileHell

* Therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness therapy programs, and other programs under the umbrella of the "Troubled Teen Industry" have this reputation. Survivors have testified to being forced to exercise to exhaustion and perform backbreaking labor, denied food and water, physically abused, and psychologically tortured. There have been numerous deaths -- some suicides, some preventable illnesses and accidents, and some deaths as a result of violent restraint techniques being used on victims. These programs are primarily private-sector, as public sector and publicly-funded nonprofits that run similar programs tend to have more oversight in RealLife, so abusive personnel tend to get caught and punished more quickly. The program might be temporarily or permanently closed after an official investigation, depending on how serious or systemic the abuse was. Along with that, the above aren't for official juvenile offenders but "troubled teens" (which is very broadly defined), who are often sent there with permission of their parents or legal guardians for any number of reasons ranging from actual disciplinary or criminal offenses to things like wearing the wrong clothes, listening to the wrong music, having the wrong friends, or anything else that rubs parents the wrong way, and are often sent there without a set time limit or other protections (such as being able to appeal).

* Therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness therapy centers, and the like have this reputation. Survivors have testified to being forced to exercise to exhaustion and perform backbreaking labor, denied food and water, physically abused, and psychologically tortured. There have been numerous deaths -- some suicides, some preventable illnesses and accidents. Tends to be more of a problem for the private sector, though. Public sector and publicly-funded nonprofits that run similar programs tend to have more oversight in RealLife, so the abusive personnel tend to get caught more quickly and punished. The program might be temporarily or permanently closed after an official investigation, depending on how serious or systemic the abuse was. Along with that, the above aren't for official juvenile offenders but "troubled youths" (this is very broadly defined) sent there with permission of their parents or guardians, without a set time limit or other protections (such as being able to appeal).

* Humorously subverted in ''Literature/CaptainUnderpants'' where George and Harold were arrested for crime that their [[EvilTwin evil twins]] committed, while they know their juvie cell isn't a LuxuryPrisonSuite, the living standards and treatment they're given is actually leaps and bounds better than what they've had to put up with in the SadistTeacher filled school they've been attending, they're even fully allowed to continue making comics while serving their time!

Compare DepartmentOfChildDisservices. See also OrphanageOfFear, which is pretty similar in how it plays out. For ''adult'' prisons that take their punishments UpToEleven, see the HellholePrison.

* PlayedForDrama in the autobiographical webcomic ''Webcomic/JoeVsElanSchool''. Children at the titular school are berated by staff and their own peers near constantly, they are forced to fight each other in "the ring," and they have to be on alert 24/7 for their duration. Worst part is, some of the residents ''are'' actual child criminals, but the majority are in for minor offenses (like the author), or are innocent orphans dumped there by a foster system that can't be bothered to care for them. Horrifyingly, [[TruthInTelevision the author's accounts have been corroborated]] by other survivors of Elan School in real life.

Compare DepartmentOfChildDisservices. For ''adult'' prisons that take their punishments UpToEleven, see the HellholePrison.

Compare DepartmentOfChildDisservices.

Compare DepartmentOfChildDisservices

Not so in fiction. In fiction, juvenile hall is portrayed as something more akin to ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', with individual cells (almost all juvenile detention centers are minimum security), exercise yards, fences and/or high cement walls with barbed wire, social hierarchies and dominance, fiat money trading, and "long-timers" and "lifers". It is basically a children's version of the PrisonEpisode. It usually happens when the young protagonist (or side character) [[FelonyMisdemeanor is sent to jail for a non-heinous crime (a prank, or a minor offense)]], and the episode is about how out of place he/she is. Compare DetentionEpisode.

There is a grain of TruthInTelevision. There are juvenile detention centers for minors who have committed heinous crimes, such as rape, homicide, and armed robbery. However, these are deemed separate from the most common ones, and under almost all occasions, the character in question has not committed a crime like that. And even those still provide basic needs of children. If the child's sentence extends into adulthood, the detainee is transferred to a regular prison.

* Therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness therapy centers, and the like have this reputation. Survivors have testified to being forced to exercise to exhaustion and perform backbreaking labor, denied food and water, physically abused, and psychologically tortured. There have been numerous deaths -- some suicides, some preventable illnesses and accidents. Tends to be more of a problem for the private sector, though. Public sector and publicly-funded nonprofits that run similar programs tend to have more oversight in RealLife, so the abusive personnel tend to get caught more quickly and punished. The program might be temporarily or permanently closed after an official investigation, depending on how serious or systemic the abuse was.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jail.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:These kids (and midgets) will never make it on the outside.]]

* Therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness therapy centers, and the like have this reputation. Survivors have testified to being forced to exercise to exhaustion and perform backbreaking labor, denied food and water, physically abused, and psychologically tortured. There have been numerous deaths -- some suicides, some preventable illnesses and accidents.

[[AC:Film--Live Action]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* Humorously subverted in ''Literature/{{CaptainUnderpants}}'' where George and Harold were arrested for crime that their [[EvilTwin evil twins]] committed, while they know their juvie cell isn't a LuxuryPrisonSuite, the living standards and treatment they're given is actually leaps and bounds better than what they've had to put up with in the SadistTeacher filled school they've been attending, they're even fully allowed to continue making comics while serving their time!

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

* Therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness therapy centers, and the like have this reputation. Survivors have testified to being forced to exercise to exhaustion and perform backbreaking labor, denied food and water, physically abused, and psychologically tortured. There have been numerous deaths - some suicides, some preventable illnesses and accidents.

[[caption-width-right:350:These kids will never make it on the outside.]]

[[/folder]]

Not so in fiction. In fiction, juvenile hall is portrayed as something more akin to ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', with individual cells (almost all juvenile detention centers are minimum security), exercise yards, fences and/or high cement walls with barbed wire, social hierarchies and dominance, fiat money trading, and "long-timers" and "lifers". It is basically a children's version of the PrisonEpisode. It usually happens when the young protagonist (or side character) [[FelonyMisdemeanor is sent to jail for a non-heinous crime (a prank, or a minor offense)]], and the episode is about how out of place he/she is.

However, this trope is usually seen as a {{parody}}; it is very rare this trope is played straight, because that would be far too depressing, and any show portraying it seriously would likely want to portray it realistically.

** In "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime 2000", Cartman is accused of attacking Token for being black and is sent to juvenile hall, where he becomes the PrisonBitch of a tough kid called Romper Stomper. This episode is almost a perfect example of the trope, and is practically the TropeCodifier.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jail.png]]

** In "Preschool", it's revealed that the boys got a kid named Trent Boyett sent to juvie in preschool for starting a fire and severely injuring their teacher (although in actuality, it was the fault of the four main characters). The episode deals with Trent getting paroled five years later, coming out extremely muscled and tattooed, and going after the boys for {{revenge}}.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': Duncan's audition tape has him escaping from one of those, with the obligatory alarms, searchlights and {{angry guard dog}}s all being present.