The problems as presented by ABC are not unique. I have seen similar programs on PBS and others. I am just not a fan of the way ABC, 20/20
in particular presents issues of this type.

My best friend growing up moved to Green banks , West Virginia after
we worked together in the Space Program. He was a manager for the Green bank radio telescope observatory. The facility was put there because of its isolation from everything including radio signals. They moved there in the early seventies. During his entire 30 years he was there his wife worked with the locals on many of the issues presented on the show. Her biggest problem was getting their trust. Even when the young people were on board with the programs she was trying to carry out the parents would not cooperate. Outsiders were not trusted and change was resisted. You can try to give help but until they are willing to change nothing can happen. You have to realize how isolated
some of these people are from the rest of the world. Go to the end of the world then climb that mountain and you might be there. We are talking backwoods. They have developed a life style that we can't understand but this is all they have ever known.

My father used to talk about the poverty he was raised in back in the
1900-10 era. He was able to escape this by quiting school and becoming an apprentice Jeweler in Birmingham at 11. There are isolated parts of this country that are stuck in this era and do not know how to escape. Life and lifestyles have not changed in generations. 20/20 is not going to change this. You have to want to escape and a
way to get there. The young boy on 20/20 had the desire but was not
equipped with the knowledge and resources to do so.

These are similar to the problems with escaping the intercity. It is extremely hard to pull yourself up with your boot straps when you don't
have any boots.