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AUGUST 2010
JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY BRIEF SERIES
Gender Responsiveness and Equity in Californias Juvenile Justice System
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Juvenile Justice Advisory Board
This project was guided by a diverse group of key leaders from across California. The advisory boardconvened several times to identify priority topics, provide consultation on recommendations, andreview drafts of the policy briefs.
Dr.WilliamArroyo,Medical Director,LosAngelesCountyDepartmentofMentalHealth
BarrieBecker,Caliornia State Director, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids
JamesBell,Executive Director,W.HaywoodBurnsInstituteforJuvenileJusticeFairnessandEquity
GenaCastroRodriguez,Executive Director,YouthJusticeInstitute
GwenFoster,Director o Mental Health Training,CalSWEC,UCBerkeleySchoolofSocialWelfare
CurtisHill,Sheri,SanBenitoCounty
Hon.KurtKumli,Judge, Santa Clara County, Superior Court
BarryKrisberg,Distinguished Senior Fellow, BerkeleyCenterforCriminalJustice
RickLewkowitz,Supervising District Attorney, JuvenileDivision,SacramentoCountyDistrict
AttorneysOfce
WinstonPeters,Assistant Public Deender,LosAngelesCountyPublicDefendersOfce
JerryPowers,Chie Probation Ofcer,StanislausCounty;Past-President,ChiefProbation
OfcersofCalifornia
DavidSteinhart,Juvenile Justice Program Director, Commonweal
RichardWord,Chie,VacavillePoliceDepartment
FrankZimring,Proessor,UCBerkeleySchoolofLaw
Acknowledgements:TheBerkeleyCenterforCriminalJusticegratefullyacknowledgesthemembersoftheadvisoryboard;AngelaWolfattheNationalCouncilonCrimeandDelinquency;GigiBarsoumandBarbaraRaymondatTheCaliforniaEndowment;andLaRonHoggHaught,AdministrativeOfceoftheCourts.
Copyediting: i.e. communications, LLC Layout and Design:NatalieKitamuraDesign
About this Series
WithsupportfromTheCaliforniaEndowment,BCCJdevelopedpolicybriefstoaddresscriticalissuesfacingCaliforniasjuvenilejusticesystemtoday.Thepolicybriefsprovideresearchandrecommendationsforpolicymakers,localofcials,andpractitionersconfrontingtheinadequaciesofthejuvenilejusticesystem.InMayof2010BCCJpublishedMental Health Issues in CaliforniasJuvenile Justice System,whichislocatedontheBCCJwebsite:www.bccj.berkeley.edu
The Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice (BCCJ) at the UC Berkeley School
of Law works to enhance public safety and foster a fair and accountable justice
system through research, analysis, and collaboration.
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Overthelasttwodecades,therehasbeenanincreaseinthenumberofgirlsreferredtoCaliforniasjuvenile
justicesystem.Thisincreaseraisesquestionsabouthowthejuvenilejusticesystemcanbestrespondtothe
uniqueneedsofgirls.Researchhasshownthatgirlsenterthejuvenilejusticesystemfordistinctlydifferent
typesofdelinquentbehaviorthandoboys.Itistheresponsibilityofthestateandcountiestoensurethatthe
juvenilejusticesystemoffersappropriateprogramsandservicesthatservetheuniqueneedsofdelinquent
girlsundertheirsupervision.WhilethenumberofgirlsarrestedinCaliforniaislessthanthenumberofboys
foralmosteverytypeofcrime,nearly60,000arrestsovera12-monthperiod(seeFigure1)isstillasignicant
numberanddeservestheattentionofstateandcountyofcials.Thepurposeofthisbriefistohighlighthow
girlsenterthesystem,describesomeofthekeydifferencesbetweendelinquentgirlsanddelinquentboys,
andofferrecommendationsforwaysinwhichCaliforniasjuvenilejusticesystemcanbettermeettheneedsof
girls under its jurisdiction.
Nationwide,thenumberofgirlsinthejuvenilejusticesystemisgrowingfasterthanthenumberofboys.Between1995and2005thenumberofgirlsindetentionincreasedmorequicklythanthenumberofboysproportionately,49percent
forgirlscomparedtosevenpercentforboys(Acoca,2009).EachyeartensofthousandsofgirlsarearrestedinCalifornia
In2008,58,843girlswerearrested,representing3.5percentofthestatestotalpopulationofgirlsbetweentheages
of12and17(CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,2008;U.S.CensusBureau).Inthatsameyear,58,195referralsweresent
toprobation,resultingin20,525petitionsledonbehalfofjuvenilefemaleoffendersinjuvenilecourt(California
DepartmentofJustice,2008).1Eighteenpercentofgirlspetitionsresultedindismissal;21percentresultedininformal
supervision2 or deferred entry of judgment;3and41percentendedinanorderofwardship.
Figure 1. Girls in Californias Juvenile Justice System (2008)
GENDER RESPONSIVENESS AND EQUITY
IN CALIFORNIAS JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM
1 Arrests are those reported by law enorcement; reerrals are law enorcement arrests as reported by probation and each reerral can include up to fve oensesand petitions can include up to fve dierent oenses.
2 For some oenses minors can be placed on inormal supervision or a six-month period beore or ater a petition has been fled. I the minor does well at theend o the six months, the matter is settled and the minor has no record. I the minor does not do well, ormal proceedings on the petition go orward.
3 Minors 14 and older who have been charged with certain elony oenses can admit the petition and be placed on a one to three year program o supervisionwithout being adjudged a ward o the court (i.e., judgment is deerred). I the supervision period is successul, the petition will be dismissed and the arrest willbe deemed never to have occurred. I the minor ails the supervision period the matter proceeds to disposition.
58,834 58,195
20,525
Arrests Referrals Petitions
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0Source:CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,Juvenile Justice inCalifornia Report(2008).
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Ifthecourtsustainsastatusoffenseoracriminalpetition,itmayadjudgetheminortobeawardofthecourt.In2008,
overtwo-thirdsofwardshipdispositionsforgirls(65%)resultedinanorderofhomeorarelativeshomeonprobation;
23percentwereplacedatacountyranchorcamp;andoneintenwasplacedinaprivatefacility,suchasagrouphome
orresidentialplacement.Lessthanonepercent(0.2%)ofgirlswithawardshipdispositionin2008wascommittedtothe
DivisionofJuvenileFacilities(seeFigure2).
PART 1:Overview of Girls in the System
Figure 2. Girls Wardship Dispositions (2008)
County Facility
23%(2,510girls)
Private Facility
10%(1,083girls)
Other
2%(214girls)
Division of
Juvenile Facilities
0.2%(20girls)
Own/Relatives Home
65%(6,991girls)
Source:CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,Juvenile Justice in Caliornia Report(2008).
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PART 2:How Girls Enter the System
Girlscomeintocontactwiththejuvenilejusticesystemunderverydifferentcircumstancesthanboysasaresultof
differencesinthetypesofdelinquentbehavior.Thefollowingsectiondiscussesthetypesofreferralsthatbringgirlsto
the attention of the juvenile justice system, as well as some of the offenses that have notable gender differences.
PRosTiTuTionProstitutionistheonlyoffenseforwhichmoregirlsthanboysarereferredtoprobation.In2008,girlswerereferred
atsignicantlygreaternumbersthanwereboys,with696prostitutionreferralsforgirlscomparedto34forboys.
Additionally,girlsreferredtoprobationforprostitutionaremorelikelytohavetheirreferralresultinacourtpetition
thanboys.In2008,70percentofgirlsreferredforprostitutionwerepetitionedcomparedto47percentofboys
(seeFigure3).4Thisdisparitybecomesevenmorestrikingwhenyouconsiderthatin2008,57percentofboystota
referralsresultedinpetitions,whileonly44percentofgirlstotalreferralswerepetitioned.Theimplicationhereis
thatmaleprostitutionreferralsarefrequentlyhandledinformallywhilefemaleprostitutionreferralsaremoreoften
prosecuted.Theshareofgirlspetitionedforprostitutionissignicantlyhigherthanforothertypesofreferrals
(70%and44%,respectively)(CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,2008).
Figure 3. Percent of Referrals that are Petitioned (2008)
Source:CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,Juvenile Justice in Caliornia Report(2008).
4 Note: Because the number o boys reerred is so small even a minor variation in the number o boys petitioned makes a signifcant dierence in the rate.There were 16 prostitution petitions or boys and 485 prostitution petitions or girls in Caliornia in 2008.
Most people dont know about the
growing trend o girls going into the
juvenile justice system and the problems
the system has in dealing with them.
Gwen Foster, Director of Mental
Health Training, CalSWEC,
UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare
All Referrals
Prostitution Referrals
GIRLS
44%
70%
BOYS
57%
47%
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Felonies
Mostfelonyreferralsforgirlsarefornon-violentoffenses.Girlsfelonyreferralsandpetitionsoccurmostfrequently
forburglaryandtheft-relatedcrimes.Whencombined,burglary,theft,andautotheftrepresent47percentofthe
felonyreferralsand46percentofthefelonypetitionsledongirls.Bycomparison,thesethreefelonyoffensesaccountfor35percentofboysreferralsand36percentofboyspetitions(CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,2008).
MisdeMeAnoRs
In2008,girlsinCaliforniaweremorelikelytobereferredtoprobationformisdemeanorassaultandbatterythan
foranyothermisdemeanor;thesameistrueforboys.Additionally,felonyassaultandmisdemeanorassaultand
batteryaccountedforapproximatelyone-thirdofgirlspetitionedoffenses(excludingstatusoffenses).Notably,
researchhasshownthatthenatureofgirlsviolenceismoreoftenrelational.Whilebothboysandgirlsaremore
likelytoghtwithsamesexfriendsoracquaintancesthananyothertypeofvictim,girlsnextmostlikelyvictim
isafamilymember,whereasforboysthenextmostlikelyvictimisastranger(Stahl,2006).
dRug And liquoR lAw ViolATions
Lookingatdrugandliquorlawviolationsin2008,boyspetitionrateswereonlyslightlyhigherthangirls.Boys
werepetitioned48percentofthetimethattheywerereferredfordrugandliquorlawviolationsandgirlswere
petitioned41percentofthetime(CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,2008).
sTATus oFFenses
Girlscometotheattentionoflawenforcementforstatusoffensesataslightlyhigherratethanboys.Status
offensesareactsthatwouldnotbeclassiedascrimesifcommittedbyadultsandincludetruancy,curfewviolation
andrunningaway.Statusoffensesaccountedforaslightlylargerpercentageofgirlstotalreferrals(13%)thanfor
boysreferrals(10%)inCaliforniain2008.However,boysstatusoffenseswerepetitionedataratemorethan20
percentagepointshigher,withgirlsat47percentandboysat70percent(CaliforniaDepartmentofJustice,2008).
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PART 3: The Unique Needs of Girls
Thesignicantnumberofgirlsinthejuvenilejusticesystemmeansthatthestateandcountieshaveanevengreater
responsibilitytoequipthemselvestoproperlycareforgirlsintheircustody.Programsandstrategiesdesignedprimarily
forboysareoftennotthemostappropriateforgirls.Girlshaveuniqueneedsandpathwaysintothejuvenilejustice
system,whichhavesignicantimplicationsforserviceprovision.
TRAUMA AND FAMILY DYSFUNCTION
Ahistoryofabuseisoftenafactorthatcontributestowardsdelinquencyandinvolvementinthejuvenilejustice
system. Studies have found that girls in the juvenile justice system have experienced higher rates of physical
neglectandhigherratesofphysical,sexual,andemotionalabusethanboys(McCabeetal.,2002).Girlsexperience
sexual exploitation and abuse by family members and boyfriends, as well as through involvement in street gangs.
AstudyofgirlsintheCaliforniaYouthAuthority(nowtheDivisionofJuvenileJustice)foundthat75percentofgirls
reportedhavingexperiencedphysicalabuseand46percentreportedsexualabuse(OwenandBloom,1997).
Physical,sexual,andemotionalabuseinictedonadolescentandpre-adolescentfemalescanleadthemtoactout
theirpsychologicaltraumacriminally(Bloom,2001).Priorvictimizationappearstobelinkedtosubsequentviolent
behavioringirls(Molnaretal.,2005).WhiletherearenoCalifornia-specicdata,astudyfromOhiofoundthat
themajorityoftheincarceratedgirlswhoreportedahistoryofvictimizationbelievedthatthisvictimizationhad
inuencedtheiroffendingbehavior(BelknapandHolsinger,2006).Inaddition,manygirlsrstenterthejuvenile
justicesystemasrunaways,oftentryingtoescapeabuseexperiencedathome(Chesney-LindandShelden,
1992;Bloometal.,2002).Indeed,studieshavefoundthattheperpetratorsofphysicalandsexualabusewere
oftenwithinthefamily(BelknapandHolsinger,2006).Researchershavefoundthatrunningaway,evenfroma
sexuallyabusivehome,issometimeshandledasanoffense(Gilfus,1992).Incomparisontoboys,girlsaremore
likelytobearrestedandplacedoutsidetheirhomeforrunningaway(AmericanBarAssociationandtheNational
BarAssociation,2001;Chesney-LindandShelden,1992).
Asmentionedpreviously,girlsaremorelikelytoengageinviolentbehaviorasaresultofspecicrelational
difculties(Odgersetal.,2005).Atthesametime,whileearlyaggressionisoneofthestrongestpredictorsofsubsequentdelinquentbehaviorforboys,studieshaveshownitspredictivepowertobemuchweakerforgirls
(Tracyetal.,2009).Giventhelinkbetweenadversedomesticrelationshipsandgirlsviolence,girlsaggression
may be impacted by placement in dysfunctional domestic environments.
There needs to be a ramework or what
gender responsive means. Is it painting walls pink
or giving nail polish? No. We need to pinpoint
exactly what the dierent needs are or girls.Gena Castro Rodriquez,
Executive Director, Youth Justice Institut
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SUbSTANCE AbUSE
A2000studyfoundthatdruguseamongadolescentwomenhadincreasedsubstantiallysincethe1970s
(Dakof,2000).Nationwide,overone-thirdofgirlsinthejuvenilejusticesystemreportedexperiencingblackouts,
becomingsick,orhavingoverdosedondrugsoralcohol(Acoca,2009).
Amainfactorbehindfemaleadolescentdruguseisinternalizedresponsestofamilydysfunction.Inaddition,
girlsdruguseissymptomaticofgreaterinternalizingdisordersandfamilytraumathantheirmalecounterparts
(Dakof,2000).
MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
Girlsinthejuvenilejusticesystemhavementalhealthproblemsathigherratesthanboys(Timmons-Mitchellet
al.,1997;SkowyraandCocozza,2007;McCabeetal.,2202).Girlsalsoexperiencetraumaticlifeeventsathigher
ratesthanboys.Studieshavefoundthatgirlssuffermostcommonlyfrommajordepression,post-traumaticstress
disorder(PTSD),anxietydisorders,anddisruptivedisorders.AstudyofincarceratedyouthinOhioalsofoundthat
girls were more likely to report hurting or harming themselves, thinking about committing suicide, and having tried
tocommitsuicide(BelknapandHolsinger,2006).Evidencesuggeststhatgirlssufferingfromdepressionmaybe
atgreaterriskofengaginginantisocialbehavior(ObeidallahandEarls,1999).
Detentionandresidentialfacilities,aswellasthestaffthatworkinthem,areoftenill-equippedtodealwiththe
physicalhealthneedsuniquetothegirlsintheircare.Researchrevealsthattherearenocrediblemedicalstandards
forgirlsinjuvenilefacilities,noraretherestandardizedmedicalscreeningandassessmenttoolsforgirls(Acoca
andLexcen,2004).Inaddition,delinquentgirlsengageinsexualactivityearlierthannon-delinquentgirls,resulting
in a need for juvenile justice programs and services related to reproductive health, pregnancy, and parenting
(ChildWelfareLeagueofAmerica,2004).Accordingtoonenationalsurvey,25percentofjuvenilejusticeresidentia
facilitiesreportedhousingatleastonepregnantgirl.Atthesametime,approximatelyone-quarterreported
offeringnoobstetricservices(Gallagheretal.,2007).
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PART 4:Limited Availability of Programs for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
Girlsenteringthejuvenilejusticesystemoftenndthemselvesplacedinprogramsthatwerecreatedfordelinquent
boys,andconsequently,donotadequatelyaddresstheirneeds(Bloometal.,2002).Thelackofprogrammingavailable
specicallyforgirlshasbeendocumentedbyseveralstudiesoverthelasttwodecades.Areviewofdelinquency
preventionprogramsfromacrossthecountryfoundthatof443programsidentied,twopercentservedgirlsonly(Lipsey
1990).Ina2002Californiastudy,juvenilejusticeofcialsandpractitionersreportedthatfundingforfemale-specicprograms was limited. Survey respondents felt the California juvenile justice system lacked capacity and appropriate
servicesforgirls(Bloometal.,2002).
A2005surveyofCaliforniasChiefProbationOfcersreportedthatgender-specicprogramsforgirlswereoneofthe
leastavailableprogramtypes,aslessthan40percentofcountiesofferedgirl-specicprograms(AdministrativeOfceof
theCourts,2006).InajuvenilecourtstudyconductedbytheAdministrativeOfceoftheCourts,whenaskedaboutgaps
inservices,prosecutorsanddefenseattorneysspecicallyidentiedalackofresidentialplacementfacilitiesandlocal
camps/ranches for girls. Several defense attorneys who participated in the study cited instances of female clients being
senttogrouphomesbecausethecountyhadnocamporranchforgirls.Additionally,infocusgroupsconductedwith
probationofcersfromsixcounties,theofcersexpressedsimilardissatisfactionwithavailableplacementoptionsfor
girls(AdministrativeOfceoftheCourts,2008).
Limitedfundingforandavailabilityofgender-specicplacementsandprogramscanresultindifferentexperiencesfor
girls than for boys. First, in counties without a ranch or camp for females, girls may more likely be sent to residential
placements,oftengrouphomes,thanboysbecauseout-of-homeplacementbecomesadispositionaloptionearlierfor
girls.Residentialprogramsoftentakelongertocompletethanaranchcommitment,whichincreasesagirlstimeaway
from her family, school, and community. Second, for those counties with no local ranch or camp and no local residential
placementoptionsforgirls,theyareplacedout-of-county,furtherawayfromtheirhomeandfamiliesthanboys,who
moreoftenreceivein-countyplacement.Out-of-countyplacementscomplicatere-entryplanningandincreasethe
burden on their family for visits.
A group home or residential placementrefers to a non-secure privately or occasionally publicly-run facility
or home where youth live in the community, often attend public school, and receive treatment services
designed to address particular mental health, substance abuse, or other behavioral issues.
A ranch or camp is a county facility operated by a probation department where youth live, attend school,
and receive counseling services. They are frequently outside of urban areas and considered more secure
than a residential placement.
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Inaddition,researchaboutthespecicfactorscriticaltoeffectivegirlsprogramsandservicesandevaluationsofgender-
specicprogramoutcomesarelimitedduetotherelativelysmallnumberofgirlsincludedinstudysamples.Studiesthat
assesstheeffectivenessofprogramshavefocusedprimarilyonboys,anditisunclearhowapplicablethesendingsare
forgirls(Bloometal.,2002).
ThefederalOfceofJuvenileJusticeandDelinquencyPrevention(OJJDP)convenedtheGirlsStudyGrouptoconductareviewofeffectivegirlsprogramming,recognizingthatalackofevaluationofgender-specicprogrammingisoneofthe
majorchallengestoassessinganddevelopingeffectiveinterventions(GirlsStudyGroup,2008).Thereportcatalogs61
girls-onlyprogramsnationwide,only17ofwhichhavebeenevaluated.Oftheprogramsevaluated,nonemetthecriteria
tobeclassiedaseffective,andonlyhalfoftherisk/needsassessmentinstrumentsinusewerevalidforbothgirlsand
boys(GirlsStudyGroup,2008).
Whilefewgender-responsiveprogramsareavailableandnonehavebeendeemedmodelprograms,therearecertain
characteristicsandelementsthatareconsideredtobeintegraltoeffectivegirlsprograms(PattonandMorgan,2002).
Key characteristics include:
Relationship-based,
Strengths-based, Responsivetoahistoryoftrauma,and
Provideasafetreatmentspaceremovedfrommales.
Thelimitedresearchongender-specicprogrammingandtheinadequacyofresourcesandtoolscurrentlyavailableis
alsoproblematicforjuvenilejusticestaff.JuvenilejusticepractitionersinCaliforniareportedthatgirlswereharderto
workwithastheyfacedmorecomplicatedissues(Bloometal.,2002).Thesepractitionersreportednotfeelingprepared
toworkwithgirls,andindicatedadesireformoreinformationregardingtheirneeds.Juvenilejusticestaffmembershave
alsoreportedndinggirlstobemanipulativeandverballyaggressive(Adler,1997).Therststeptomoreeffectively
workingwithgirlsistobetterunderstandtheuniqueneedsandchallengestheypresent.
Its the tyranny o numbers. There are
more boys than girls in the juvenile
system and where the numbers are,thats where the money goes.
Barry Krisberg, Distinguished Senior Fellow
Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice
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RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Provide staff training on how to respond to girls needs.
Juvenilejusticepractitionersreportdifcultiesinworkingwithgirlsandaneedforadditionaltrainingandinformation
onhowtobestworkwithgirls.Mentalhealthandjuvenilejusticeexpertsagreethatstaffshouldbetrainedonforming
relationshipswithgirlswhohavetrustissuesandtoensurethejuvenilejusticeenvironmentcanadequatelymeettheirneeds(Cooneyetal.,2008).Manydetainedgirlshaveneverhadahealthyrelationshipwithanadultmale.Trainingfor
male staff in boundary setting and sensitivity to effectively interact with girls who have histories of physical and sexual
abusecanbebenecial(OkamotoandChesney-Lind,2004).Staffshouldbeawareofgirlsneedsandhistories,and
betrainedonhowtorespondsensitivelyandinaninformedmannertoissuesofpastvictimization.Theyshouldbe
informedthatgirlsdisruptivebehaviormaybeasignofmentalhealthissues.Giventheacknowledgmentthatworking
withfemalesisparticularlychallenging,gender-responsivenesstrainingshouldbeincludedinprobationsannual40-hour
StandardsandTrainingforCorrections(STC)curriculum.
Additionally,juvenilecourtjudges,attorneys,andotherjusticesystemstakeholdersshouldreceivetrainingand
education about how to more effectively work with female offenders. Key juvenile justice stakeholder groups should
participateincross-disciplinetrainingthatpromotescommunicationaboutissuesthataffectgirlsinanenvironmentthat
encouragessharingdiverseperspectives.Research-basedtrainingconductedbyexpertsinmentalhealthdisorders,adolescentdevelopment,genderresponsiveness,andculturaldifferenceswouldpromoteawarenessofgirlsneeds
andhelppractitionersunderstandtheimportantissuesthatparticularlyinuencethesuccessofgirlsonprobation.
2. Use assessment tools validated for female populations.
Riskassessmenttoolsareusedtoassesstheriskofcertainoutcomes,suchasthepotentialtoreoffendorthe
likelihood of making a court appearance. These tools take into account criminal histories, such as types and number
ofprioroffenses,aswellaseducationlevel,substanceabuseproblems,andmentalhealthissues(Brumbaugh,2010).
Riskassessmenttoolsdevelopedforboysmaynotbeappropriateforgirlsforvariousreasons,suchasdifferences
betweenthenatureofgirlsandboysviolentbehavior.Traditionalriskassessmenttoolsrelyonpriorviolentoffensesto
predictfutureviolence.Whilethisisaneffectivemeansofpredictingfutureviolenceinmales,femaleswhoengagein
anti-socialandaggressivebehaviorintheiryoutharenotnecessarilymorelikelytocommitviolenceinthefuture
(Brumbaugh,2010).Needs-basedortreatment-focusedassessmenttoolsareusedtodeterminetreatmentneedsor
diagnosevariousdisordersforcaseplanningandtoassistyouthuponre-entry.Suchinstrumentsincludeglobalneeds,
substance abuse, and mental health assessments.
TheOJJDP-convenedGirlsStudyGroupidentiedvarioustypesofinstrumentsthathaveperformedfavorablyfor
girls(Brumbaugh,2010).Californiaprobationdepartmentsthatcurrentlyutilizeawide-rangeofuntestedtoolsshould
prioritizeimplementingtoolsthathavebeenidentiedbytheOJJDPGirlsStudyGroup.TheStudyGroupfoundatotal
of73instruments,outof143,thatgarneredafavorablerating.Theseinstrumentsincludealltypes:riskassessment,
needsassessment,substanceabuseassessmentandmentalhealthassessment(Brumbaugh,2010).Forfurther
informationontheinstrumentsreviewedbytheStudyGroup,pleasesee:www.nttac.org/GirlsStudyGroup/dsp_instrument_list1.cfm.
3. Develop and utilize gender-responsive community-based programming.
In some cases, the detention or custodial commitment of girls can compound rather than address underlying causes of
delinquencybyseparatinggirlsfromtheirfamilies.Psychologicaldisorderandfamilialtrauma,oftenunderlyingcauses
offemaledelinquency,couldbeeffectivelytreatedbycommunity-basedprogramming.Incircumstanceswherepublic
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safetyisnotaconcern,community-basedalternativesmaybeamoreappropriateandlesstraumaticwayofserving
femaleoffenders.Thejuvenilejusticesystemshouldnotonlystrivetoincreasetheavailabilityofcommunity-based
alternatives to incarceration, but also assess whether girls currently in custodial facilities could be more appropriately
treated in the community.
4. Improve and increase the availability of programming for girls.
Thelimitedavailabilityofprogrammingforgirlsinthejuvenilejusticesystemandtheiruniqueriskfactors,needs,and
characteristicsnecessitatesimprovingandincreasinggender-specicprograms,services,andtreatmentapproaches.
Programmingforgirlsshouldincorporatemethodsthatarerelationship-based,encouragecommunication,andensure
emotionalandphysicalsafety(Bloom,2001).Inordertoadequatelyprovideforthegirlsunderitscare,thejusticesystem
musttakeintoaccountagirlshistoryofabuse,mentalhealthneeds,substanceuse,anddifcultfamilyenvironment.
ACorrectionsStandardsAuthorityFormulaGrantProgramPlanreportfrom2008identiedsixgender-specicprograms
operatinginCaliforniausing$3.5millioninJuvenileJusticeCrimePreventionActfunding(CorrectionsStandards
Authority,2008).Inaddition,18countiesreportedgender-specicservicesbeingfundedbyfederal,state,andlocalresources.GiventhenumberofgirlscurrentlyunderthejurisdictionofCalifornias58countyprobationdepartments,
theselimitedfundsandfewprogramsarenotsufcienttorespondeffectivelytotheneedsoffemalejuvenileoffenders.
Recipientsofstatejuvenilejusticefundingshouldberequiredtoprovidegender-appropriateservicesforgirlsand
collect data on the outcomes of those programs and their participants.
5. Equip detention centers and residential facilities to deal with the unique physical and mental
health needs of girls.
Detentioncentersandresidentialfacilitiesshouldprovideaccesstomedicalandmentalhealthprofessionals,services,
andotherresourcesthatadequatelymeetthephysicalandmentalhealthneedsofgirlsdealingwiththeaftermathof
physical,sexual,andemotionalabuseaswellasothergender-specichealthconcerns.Ahistoryofphysicalandsexualabuseisoneofthemostcommonafictionsfacinggirlsinjuveniledetention.Sexualabusedisproportionatelyaffects
girlsandcanhaveseverelong-lastingimplicationsfordelinquency.Inaddition,girlshaveuniquehealthneedsthatmay
requireeducationandtreatmentaroundsexuallytransmitteddiseases,reproductiveissues,pregnancy,andparenting.
It is important that facilities provide access to medical and mental health professionals who can assist girls in addressing
their particular needs.
Title15oftheCorrectionsStandardsAuthoritysCodeofRegulations,whichregulatesstandardsforcountydetention
facilities,shouldbestrengthenedtoincludegender-responsivepoliciesandpracticesthatwouldimproveclassication
procedures for girls in custody, treatment plans, and access to physical and mental health services.
6. Change policies and programs in detention facilities that re-traumatize girls.
Ahighpercentageofgirlsinjuveniledetentionhaveexperiencedsomeformoftraumapriortoplacement.Girlsin
juvenile justice settings who have a history of trauma need to feel physically and psychologically safe. Custodial facilities
that rely on traditional approaches like physical confrontation, isolation, and use of restraints to discipline girls run the
riskofre-traumatizinggirlsinjuvenilejusticecare(Grifn,2002).Manycharacteristicsofthedetentionenvironment
(e.g.,seclusion,staffinsensitivity,lossofprivacy)canexacerbatenegativefeelingsandthesenseofalossofcontrol
amonggirls.Infact,forfemaleswithPTSD,thedetentionexperiencemayresultinre-traumatizationand/orre-victimization
(Hennesseyetal.,2004).Gender-specicmentalhealthassessmentsshouldbeutilizedintandemwithchangesto
traditionalpoliciesandapproachestoreducere-traumatization.
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CONCLUSION
Increasednumbersofgirlsenteringthejuvenilejusticesystemhavedrawnnationalattentiontotheissueofinadequate
gender-specicservicesandprogramming.Juvenilejusticeserviceshavehistoricallybeendesignedformale
populationsandineffectivelymeettheneedsoffemaleoffenders.However,researchhighlightingtheseshortfallshas
helpedidentifytargetedstrategiesthatwouldsignicantlyimproveserviceprovisionandoutcomesforgirls.While
thecurrentscalenvironmentpresentschallengestothecreationandimplementationofgender-specicpoliciesandprograms,investmentinappropriategender-responsiveprogramswillcontributetoamoreeffectivejuvenilejustice
systemandsavemoneyinthelongterm.Becauseserviceshavehistoricallybeendesignedformalepopulations,
it is time resources are committed to addressing the needs of female offenders.
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Based at the UC Berkeley School o Law, the Berkeley Center or Criminal
Justices mission is to enhance public saety and oster a air and accountable
justice system through research, analysis, and collaboration.
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