The paper is devoted to North-American experience of treatment of juvenile delinquents in correctional boot camps. In these special institutions, adolescents are exposed to military style individual programs implying strict discipline, rigorous exercises and hard work. Such approach to young offenders is very popular both among politicians and in the community. The particular attention is paid to the probation camps and ranchos functioning in the State of California. On the example of the separate closed institutions for juvenile offenders, specific features of the main models of camps (i.e. Conventional Model, Wilderness Model, military-style boot camps, and Missouri Model) are shown in respect of treatment regime established in them and different measures of educational, therapeutic, rehabilitation, cultural, recreational or similar nature. The arguments of both supporters and opponents of the boot camps system, as an alternative to imprisonment, are presented. Some legislative measures are proposed to improve juvenile criminal law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including introduction of placement to specialised closed institution as the alternative punishment for juvenile delinquents taking into consideration both positive North-American experience and regional specifics of the Western Balkans.
boot camps, juvenile delinquents, Californian models
