NCJ Number
207592
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Education Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 2004 Pages: 351-372
Date Published
2004
Length
22 pages
Annotation
An 8-week college course offered to students in the Sociology/Criminal Justice and Criminology Department of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in the summers of 2000 and 2001 combined instruction in the life experiences of delinquent girls and their involvement in the juvenile justice system with actual mentoring interactions with delinquent girls in the system; this paper describes and assesses the course.
Abstract
Through classroom instruction and mentoring interactions with girls who were at various stages of processing within the family court system (juvenile detention, residential placement, and probation), the female students acquired knowledge about delinquent girls, including theories of female delinquency, juvenile justice processing, correctional interventions, and a greater awareness of the experiences common to this "at-risk" population. Through direct exposure to girls currently under court supervision in Kansas City's juvenile justice system, the students were also able to learn new skills in working with delinquent girls in the capacity of a mentoring relationship. The delinquent girls in turn experienced a prosocial relationship with a female friend who was knowledgeable and skilled in listening to and providing positive feedback regarding their past experiences and future goals. This paper describes the development of the course, its implementation, some problems encountered, and the outcomes. The process evaluation shows that the course provided enriching educational experiences for the female students and beneficial mentoring interactions for the delinquent girls. 20 references