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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Politics
Arielle Domb

Two girls fell in love at a camp for ‘troubled teens’ and made an audacious escape. Their captors weren’t far behind

RCR United States Arizona

Girls who arrive at Re-Creation Retreat (RCR) begin at level one. At level one, girls are not allowed to look out of the window. They are not allowed to talk to each other or look each other in the eye. “Your microexpressions were controlled,” said Carissa Reyes, who joined the programme soon after it first opened in 2008.

Girls climb up the ranks with good behaviour, accruing points and privileges. Girls who reach higher levels are able to wear their own clothes or speak with permission. Eventually they reach level five, and are allowed to leave.

All contact with the outside world is monitored by staff, so if a girl attempts to talk to her parents about what it is like inside RCR, she risks being dropped to level one, and having to start the programme again.

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