The US Constitution protects US citizens in American prisons against cruel and unusual punishments including being forced to urinate or defecate on themselves. Straight was a private prison because it detained people against their will and used guards and locks to keep them from escaping. But Straight kids were not Constitutionally protected against "cruel and unusual punishment" because it was never licensed as an official private prison.

You can hardly read of an account about Chinese brainwashing where the Chinese did not spit in the face of the person being subjected to the torture. That is where Straight got the idea of humiliating a kid by having several of his peers spit in his face. Last year an Oklahoma man got life in prison for spitting in the face of a police officer. [story] Straight closed in 1993. In Ohio, in 1993, a man got 5 - 15 years for spitting in a police officer's face. [story]

The US Durbin Torture Amendment prohibits sleep deprivation, public humiliation and position abuse of enemy prisoners of war--even enemies who cut off the heads of Americans. And yet right here inside America, for 17 years, Straight, Inc. was guilty of these crimes. [story] Why is it that Mel and Betty Sembler could escape punishment for operating a program that did these things to kids while world opinion finds it reprehensible that we Americans do this to our enemies.