NCJ Number
196502
Date Published
May 2001
Length
60 pages
Annotation
This document discusses female delinquency and the lack of resources in the juvenile justice system geared specifically for the needs of the female delinquent.
Abstract
Research has demonstrated that female delinquents have different needs than males. Girls are more often victims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. They are often placed in settings and institutions that are neither designed nor effective for their treatment and rehabilitation. They often fail to receive adequate educational and community support. They are subject to institutional bias in the processing and handling of their cases. Because the number of girls in the justice system is climbing, it is important that policymakers provide better services and programs for them. The majority of girls can and should be diverted from formal juvenile court processing. The re-criminalization of status offenses has had a devastating impact on girls. An array of gender-specific community based services and alternatives should be supported by communities and courts. The majority of delinquent girls can be more appropriately dealt with within culturally competent, gender-specific programs that are developmentally sound. National awareness should be raised of the underlying factors that place girls at-risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system. Alternatives to detention and incarceration for girls should be promoted and awareness increased of the harms of detention. Policies and practices avoiding incarcerating girls for status offenses, charging girls with assault in family conflict situations, and detaining girls to “protect” them should be identified. An integrated system of care for at-risk and delinquent girls and their families should be promoted based on their competencies and needs. Resources must exist to provide multi-level, multidisciplinary training and technical assistance for lawyers, service providers, and other justice system personnel. Charging and diversion, detention, and disposition procedures should be evaluated to meet the needs of at-risk or delinquent girls. 74 references