Few researchers have closely examined the programs, services, and incarceration experiences of boot camps from the inmate's perspective. In Massachusetts, boot camps involve a 16-week modified therapeutic community program that focuses on the behavioral change of offenders. The boot camps combine a balance of military-style discipline, community service, and programming (substance abuse, adult basic education, wellness, and life skills). Massachusetts inmates receive about 30 hours of programming per week. All sessions begin and end with positive, upbeat music played at a high volume to stimulate motivation. During classes, classical music is used to produce an altered state of consciousness. Instructors frequently focus interactions on positive recovery-based themes. Inmate accounts of boot camp experiences indicate that boot camps provided them with a dynamic opportunity to change their lives. Troubled youths left boot camps with positive self-images, self-confidence, and awareness of their addiction and responsibilities. In addition, most left with positive behavior, family support, and good intentions to achieve identifiable goals. Positive changes, however, were quickly lost in the case of dysfunctional families and less than functional community environments. Further research is recommended to examine the totality of the boot camp experience. 11 references