NCJ Number
161868
Date Published
1996
Length
59 pages
Annotation
Major issues that affect the ways in which the juvenile justice system can meet females' needs are analyzed and used to develop policy recommendations.
Abstract
The issues include the nature and extent of female juvenile delinquency; factors that place a young woman at risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system; factors affecting the juvenile justice system's handling of females; and knowledge about effective programs for prevention, intervention, and treatment. The estimated 678,500 female juveniles arrested in 1994 represented 25 percent of juveniles arrested, an increase from 22 percent in 1984. Ninety-one percent were ages 13-17. The majority were charged with juvenile status offenses such as running away, violating curfews, and truancy. Four percent of adolescent females come into contact with the juvenile justice system each year. The similarities between those inside and outside the juvenile justice system indicate that almost all juvenile females could benefit from high-quality prevention programs. Good programs for female juvenile offenders are like all good youth programs. They address individual needs, develop interest and skills for current and future success, and create caring relationships with positive peers and caring adults. For the juvenile justice system to provide effective prevention, intervention, and treatment for females, the needs of females must be incorporated into all aspects of the juvenile justice system. It is neither effective nor acceptable to assume that females are well served by programs designed for males. Governmental policies can serve as a catalyst in developing and expanding programs that incorporate prevention and parity. The 1992 amendments to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act provide the foundation for this effort. Policy recommendations, tables, figures, addresses and descriptions of promising programs, and 72 references