Scare Straight Meaning

(transitive, idiomatic) To frighten (someone) to such a degree that a significant improvement in behavior results.

Example: 1982 Sept. 3, Ellen Goodman, "Work ethic remains strong as ever," Spokesman-Review (Spokane, USA), p. 4 (retrieved 13 Feb 2013):
  Indeed, there is a streak of Reaganomics that believes the only way to motivate American workers is to scare them straight with unemployment charts.
2005 March 16, Pete Thamel, "Scared Straight Into the Courts of Basketball," New York Times (retrieved 13 Feb 2013):
  Thomas credited the boot camp for scaring him straight.
2006 May 15, "How Bill Put the Fizz in the Fight Against Fat, Time (retrieved 13 Feb 2013):
  Slimmed down and scared straight after his bypass surgery, Clinton brokers a deal to get sugary drinks out of schools.