NCJ Number
203231
Date Published
July 2003
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This report presents an overview of the juvenile female offender population admitted to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) in fiscal year 2002.
Abstract
Juvenile offenders admitted to DJJ are initially processed through the Reception and Diagnostic Center and are subsequently placed in the appropriate juvenile correctional center (JCC). All females are now placed in Culpeper JCC, which is reserved for female offenders. From FY2001 to FY2002, female admissions increased by 16 percent (20 juveniles), while male admissions decreased by 4 percent (44 juveniles). The "typical" DJJ ward for both females and males was a Black 17 year-old. Six localities contributed approximately one-third of the total female admissions: Virginia Beach, 11 percent; Henrico County, 7 percent; Chesterfield County, 5 percent; Newport News, 5 percent; Norfolk, 4 percent; and Hampton, 4 percent. Overall, in FY2002, 70 percent of females admitted to DJJ had at least one felony among their committing offenses, compared to 76 percent of males. On average, females were more likely to have been committed for less serious offenses than their male counterparts. In FY2002, the "typical" female DJJ ward had an assigned length of stay of 6-12 months, compared with the "typical" male stay of 12-18 months. The female wards were much more likely than males to have a history of psychiatric needs and to come from a dysfunctional home life. They were more likely to have been the victims of sexual or physical abuse, and their treatment needs were more likely to include anger management. They were better educated than male offenders, although they were still below the grade levels expected of their age group. After release from the JCC's, female offenders were less likely to be rearrested or reconvicted. 5 figures and 16 notes