Teenagers in this documentary and the 1980 sequel, "Scared Straight! Another Story", ranged from 15- to 19-year-old repeat offenders of crimes ranging from petty theft Drug addiction, and public intoxication to gambling, counterfeiting, and racketeering. None of the "graduates" of the original documentary have since been convicted of a felony except for Angelo Speziale, who in 2010 was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for the rape and murder of his neighbor in 1982 (after the film was made).