Why 'Banged Up' is the wrong kind of tough love

Holding troubled teenagers up for public ridicule might not be the best way to help them

The nation has recently been debating the practice of putting naughty children in so-called ‘isolation booths’ at school.

Meanwhile, Channel Four has sent a group of tricky teens on a seven-day trip to a Florida jail.

In the new reality show Banged Up: Teens Behind Bars the group of teenagers take part in a special programme that gives young people a taste of life in a stinking US penitentiary. 

The aim is that the treatment should – without tackling any of the deeper issues they face – put them on the straight and narrow.

Now, I’m not against the idea of a bit of tough love: the lieutenant in charge of the young people is clearly a class act, veering from shouty drill master to gentle mentor as the situation requires. The young people on the visit could benefit from someone like him in their lives at all times.

The way he coaxed teenager Hugh through his doubts about continuing the show was artful. If he pushed through now, when he next came up against something tricky, he would be able to push through that as well.

I'm currently rehearsing the same speech to use on my own son who has a tendency to give up rather than risk failure.

However, despite these moments, watching the show leaves you with a terrifying sense that these are vulnerable young people whose failings are being horrendously exploited for entertainment value.

In an era where we are earnestly discussing the suicide of Love Island contestants, it is quite alarming that this show was allowed to go ahead.

One girl with a drink problem had been abandoned by her alcoholic mother. Another East London boy with what might colloquially be called 'an attitude problem' clearly had issues that needed working through with a professional.

The most disturbing thing was reading through the tweets after the show, under its official hashtag #bangedup.

The participants were mocked for their accents, the mother of a well-off kid was criticised for spoiling her child, and a black kid was labelled a “lost cause”. 

If this is the general population’s attitude to people with problems, it’s no wonder society is in such a mess.

Tweeters were also happy to make endless jokes about these kids being anally raped by other prisoners. 

Let’s just take a moment to think about that: people laughing, in public, about young people being anally raped.

Now imagine this for a minute: you are a mum, reading tweets from people laughing about your son being anally raped.

It may be a fascinating show: to see how America treats its inmates was an eye-opener.

And it’s great that these young people have people in their lives who care about them enough to want to help them.

But I fear being exposed to reality-TV ridicule is not the best way.