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CAMP SCOTT LOCK-UP

By Phil Hall | May 29, 2001

“Camp Scott Lock-Up” is a boring documentary shot within the barbed wire confines of a military-style boot camp for nasty teenage California girls with a talent for assault, attempted murder, drug dealing and prostitution. These not-so-precocious lasses, many of whom have long arrest records, are dressed in Army fatigues and get yelled at by Los Angeles County probation officers trying to act like Marine drill sergeants. The girls are not happy and they tell the camera that they’d rather be somewhere else. A few girls wobble around in advanced states of pregnancy and hope their babies won’t be born while they are incarcerated. The adult supervisors of this boot camp pour canned platitudes about rehabilitation without the slightest iota of sincerity.
Fans of shock-reality television may get a perverse kick watching this variation of the girls behind bars formula. However, it is truly depressing to realize that time, money and videotape was wasted on documenting the lives of some stupid, low-life girls who are saved from being in penitentiaries due solely to their youthful years.
Well-made documentaries are celebrations of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary achievements. “Camp Scott Lock-Up” is a celebration of sub-ordinary people behind bars. Who the hell would want to see that?

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  1. Nikki says:

    Hey Jefferson do you know where I can get a copy of the camp Scott documentary? I’ve been searching for it for years and have to find it. I would love for mtv to do a “Where are they now” special on the ladies that was featured in the documentary please email me if you find out where I can watch it.
    Thank you

  2. Jefferson says:

    as juveniles we make mistakes some worst then others I thank god that some of us at camp Scott had a second chance we made some choices as kids I still talk to a few girls frm camp n some r probation officers now nurses have there own businesses…it was good to make this doc so ppl can c or should I say other little girls can see what will happen if u make the wrong choice

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