Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Tom Brokaw) Report introduced.

(Miami, Florida: Dennis Murphy) [GIRL - lists the drugs she has done.] STRAIGHT Drug treatment program featured. Strategy of program said to be kids confronting each other; details given, scenes shown. [WOMAN - complains her son does not care about anyone but himself.] [MAN - thanks God for STRAIGHT.] Boot camp approach discussed; scenes shown. White House endorsement of STRAIGHT mentioned. [Nancy REAGAN - shown in 1984 talking to kids in program.] Critics of STRAIGHT asserting they were threatened when Nancy Reagan visited noted. [Former STRAIGHT client Jeff CLARK - says he was threatened.] Reports of abuse detailed. [Former CLIENTS - describe beatings and verbal abuse.] [Former STRAIGHT executive director Mel RIDDLE - denies allegations of abuse.] [Former client Eric WEAVER - says he was not stopped when abusing himself.] [Mother Rosemary WEAVER - condemns program.] [RIDDLE - says children are always monitored.] [Former CLIENT - saw no psychiatrists while there.] Children going to host families at night discussed; scenes shown. [GIRL - says she can not talk about alarm on bedroom door.] [Former client Susan WHITE - relates the abuses she suffered.] White said suing STRAIGHT and receiving financial settlement. Mil. atmosphere and dangers to emotionally unstable children detailed. [Drug therapist Dr. Mitchell ROSENTHALL - says kids supervising each other in this kind of situation is dangerous.] [Lawyer Amy TOTENBERG - says when children take care of children all kinds of cruelties can occur.] STRAIGHT's statistics quoted.