NCJ Number
196948
Journal
Crime & Delinquency Volume: 48 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2002 Pages: 526-552
Editor(s)
Ronald E. Vogel
Date Published
October 2002
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This article reports on findings from a survey of officials from several California State agencies, along with a series of interviews and focus groups with young females and professionals serving female youth, in order to make gender-specific policy recommendations on policy and programs.
Abstract
This study, conducted in 1998-1999 for the California Office of Criminal Justice Planning (OCJP), collected data from a statewide survey of 62 California programs for juveniles, ages 10 to 17, and examined the types of services provided, program barriers, and facilitation of change to services for young females. Recent statistics show increases, or slight decreases, in serious crime among females between the ages of 10 and 17, while the same statistics show decreases for young males of that age group. Girls were arrested for drug abuse; crime; and status offenses, such as running away, underage drinking, truancy, and curfew violation. It is noted that sexual abuse in the home is often the reason young girls run away. However, the overwhelming number of delinquency prevention programs do not address the special needs and circumstances faced by young females, and are targeted specifically to the needs of young males. Training is not provided to juvenile justice staff for their work with girls in areas of their special needs, such as sexual abuse, recreational, vocational, drug, and other therapeutic programs. It was found that such best practices are yet to be identified. However, in order to overcome the barriers to effective treatment that were illuminated by this survey, it is recommended that effective programming for girls be designed for their real-life situations and problems which is based on a gender-sensitive theoretical approach to treatment. Figures, tables, notes, and references