NCJ Number
243052
Journal
Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: Winter 2013 Pages: 297-319
Date Published
2013
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article presents a framework for reforming the juvenile justice system's treatment of girls and young women.
Abstract
Research has shown that at present, juvenile girls and young women involved with the juvenile justice system do not receive the necessary type and level of services that they require in order to successfully return to their communities. This article presents a framework for reforming the juvenile justice system's treatment of juvenile girls and young women. The framework is a gender-responsive training and technical assistance (TTA) framework that is aimed at mobilizing communities to engage in strategic decisions for improving juvenile justice systems' responses to girls. The article highlights the need for a new framework by presenting the story of a young woman involved with the juvenile justice system in Florida who did not receive the critical services needed to break the cycle of abuse and victimization. The article discusses the role of TTA in developing a framework, and provides an overview of the evolving definitions of gender-responsive theories and principles aimed at meeting the needs of girls and young women. Following a discussion on previous work that has led to the need gender-responsive reform, the article presents the TTA framework aimed at reforming the delivery of services for girls and young women. As the TTA framework is individualized for each community, the article discusses the possible opportunities and challenges that may present themselves as communities work to implement reform. The final section of the article presents a case study of gender-responsive reforms using the TTA framework. The reforms were instituted in Orleans Parish, LA beginning in 2012.