In terms of what the leaders of military schools for teens hope to accomplish in running their establishments, often they at least meet their own expectations for their setups. Certainly, military-style programs, with their insistence on routine and schedule, tend to be more consistent in how treatments are applied over time and across participant populations.
In a number of military schools for boys, program completion is also very high, exceeding 75%. Parents and researchers have also reported marked improvements in subjects’ physical fitness as well as their educational performance. In addition, generally boot camps and military schools tend to be cheaper than traditional secure facilities.
However, regarding some of the most important goals for military schools for teens, many of these facilities would have to be considered a failure. In themselves, boot camps and military schools for boys have proven poor predictors of reduced recidivism rates.
With the acceptance of more young ladies into military schools for teens, an additional problem regarding effectiveness that some program leaders and parents might not have considered beforehand is inherent in the cohabitation of adolescents in all schools. The worst stories to come out of military schools for boys and girls are ones of sexual abuse and exploitation of female cadets, which schools may be hard-pressed to try to limit totally. As is likely to happen between young people of different genders in close proximity, many facility officials have made claims of much sexual tension between participants that distracts these children from the main focus at hand.
