My knowledge of these boot camp type places is limited, but I seem to remember watching a program about one of them many years ago. IIRC it was one of those news magazine type shows.
Anyway, it was around the mid to late 90's when that "tough-love" crap was in vogue for "difficult" children. In that context, the spin about these places was overwhelmingly positive, but I remember instinctively feeling sickened by it, even though it was being touted as this wonderful new thing by many "experts" at the time.
Not long after, egregious cases of children becoming very ill or even dying due to harsh treatment (such as denying them water while on hikes in 100+ degree heat, ect) began appearing in the news. Seemingly overnight, people, including the so-called "experts" who had been pushing the idea, faded from view. I guess I wrongly assumed that these "schools" were no longer operating after that.
I'm sorry to hear that that was not the case. I can only imagine the harm this has caused the survivors of this ill conceived form of "discipline". I bet it was every bit as emotionally traumatic as physically. My sincere sympathies to your friend. I hope that he or she is doing ok now, despite having undergone such trauma. 
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