Gender Responsiveness and Equity in California's Juvenile Justice System

8/9/2019 Gender Responsiveness and Equity in California's Juvenile Justice System

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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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Juvenile Justice Policy Brie Series

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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Juvenile Justice Policy Brie Series2

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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3Juvenile Justice Policy Brie Series

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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Gender Responsiveness and Equity in California's Juvenile Justice System

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