Would you send your out of control teenager to a boot camp or wilderness program? Many parents do, turning to these tough love programs in desperate attempts to straighten out their wayward children. The theory behind these camps is that by breaking down a child's defenses and stripping the built-up walls of aggression and anger, the child can begin to heal whatever is broken inside of them. It isn't meant to be used as punishment, but therapy. Unfortunately, many of these children suffer at the hands of those who are supposed to be helping them.

An inquiry by the Government Accounting Office has found that in the unregulated world of boot camps, many children are suffering a level of abuse and neglect that sometimes ends in death. Researching data from 2005, the GAO found 1,619 incidents of abuse in 33 states. In looking at teen deaths in these camps since 1990, they found half of them were due to dehydration or heat exhaustion. Of the programs where children have died, many are still operating today.

Rep. George Miller, a Democrat from California, is pushing for regulations. "This nightmare has remained an open secret for years," he says. "Congress must act, and it must act swiftly."

I actually have some experience with wilderness camps and support anything that would ensure the safety of these children. Years ago, I sent my own daughter to such a camp and neither of us have any regrets about it. At the time, it was a gut-wrenching decision that filled us both with doubt and fear. But the experience was a turning point in her life and prepared her for the next step in her journey to becoming the person she is today.