In the "Troubled Teen industry", parents are preyed upon by legions of Educational Consultants insisting that without a program, their "troubled" teen will inevitably end up "dead, insane, or in jail". Parents, vulnerable in their fear, are often asked to submit unquestionably to the will of the program, reassured by the repetition of "Trust us, we know what we're doing, we're professionals, we know what's best for your teen better than you do." They are prepped to expect "manipulation'' from their teens, told that "they'll say anything to get home and run the show again".
The fact of the matter is that there are "manipulative" teens in programs, and there are genuine instances of "manipulation"; however since all "troubled" teens who criticize program or attempt to report abuse are labeled with this stigma, it is impossible for a parent to ever truly know whether or not their child is telling the truth. Staff in the troubled teen industry already know whose side parents will pick and a dispute, and this fact gives them carte blanche to do as they please to the teens without fear of repercussions. The more extreme the violation, the less likely the allegations will be thought of as credible.





