Future Directions for Girls in Custody (From National Conference on Juvenile Justice, P 293-303, 1993, Lynn Atkinson and Sally-Anne Gerull, eds. -- See NCJ-148673)

• NCJ Number: 148697
• Author(s): L Saville
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 11 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: From proceedings of the National Conference on Juvenile Justice, held in Adelaide, Australia, September 22-24, 1992.

Annotation

Following background information on New South Wales' Community Diversion Program and its implications for female juveniles in custody, this paper reports on a survey that solicited suggestions from a sample of such females regarding alternatives that could increase their quality of life; future policy directions in this area are suggested.

Abstract

In 1985 New South Wales began a Community Diversion Program that provides the courts with community alternatives to incarceration and separates welfare services from court services that deal with juvenile offenders. This policy particularly benefits female juveniles because they are more likely than males to come before the court for being "uncontrollable" and "exposed to moral danger." Girls have been typically incarcerated for such noncriminal behavior. A survey was conducted of the 12 girls on control orders in custody at the Reiby Juvenile Justice Center. The girls were particularly critical of limited opportunities for vocational and social skill training compared to the boys in custody. The girls favored postrelease programs to facilitate reintegration and rotation in staff after 6 months to prevent the development of dependency bonds between residents and staff. Suggestions for future directions focus on transition programs and prerelease programs. 4 references