Transcript SAMHSA Powerpoint Template - RSAT T&TA

Current Issues for Girls
in Juvenile Justice
Niki Miller, M.S., CPS
Senior Project Associate
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
[email protected]
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Improving the Juvenile Justice System for Girls:
Lessons from the States (Oct. 2012)
By Liz Watson and
Peter Edelman
Georgetown Center on Poverty,
Inequality and Public Policy
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Policy Series on Marginalized Girls:
Partners and Supporters
This report is a product of the policy series, Marginalized
Girls: Creating Pathways to Opportunity, hosted by the
Georgetown Center on Poverty, Inequality and Public
Policy, in partnership with The National Crittenton
Foundation, and the Human Rights Project for Girls.
The Atlantic Philanthropies
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
The Open Society Foundations’ Special Fund for Poverty Alleviation
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Elements of the Report
• Review of literature on girls pathways to Juvenile Justice
• Brief history of reform efforts
• “Case studies” of reforms in two state systems (CT, FL)
and one county (Stanislaus County, CA)
• Steps involved in actuating reforms
• Federal policy recommendations to support state and
local efforts
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Context of Growing Numbers of Girls
Entering the System
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Girls are low risk, high need (little risk to public safety, but need intensive levels of services if
they are to make it)
More likely to be detained for non-serious offense than boys; status offenses and technical
violations account for 41 %
Still less than 10% of arrests for violent crime.
Already fastest growing group; poised to expand; now 15% of juveniles in residential
placement
Increases in girls’ arrests for assaultive crimes appear to be mostly due to policy changes and
other factors
– Low level interfamilial altercations are re-classified as domestic violence
– Unavailability of diminishing community-based programs
– Lack of diversion options; need for gender responsive probation
– Zero tolerance school policies
– Up to 70% of time, inadequate parenting is a factor
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Prevalent Characteristics
• Poly victimization, violent and sexual victimization; within
family and from others - significant needs related to trauma
• Parental incarceration; death of parent or sibling histories
• Instability – 30% have moved 10 times or more
• Past pregnancies; 16% pregnant while confined, teen moms
• Multiple physical health problems; early school failure
• Runaways; family conflict; separated or estranged from family
• Parental substance addiction; childhood neglect
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Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
(OJJDP)
• OJJDP has supported development of specialized gender-specific
programs ranging from prevention to detention. In 1998 the agency
awarded challenge grants to 25 states to develop these capacities.
• OJJDP chronicled the reform efforts and developed gender-responsive
guidelines:
– Programs should be all female whenever possible;
– Girls should be treated in the least restrictive environment, whenever possible;
– Programs should be close to girls’ homes in order to maintain family
relationships;
– Programs should be consistent with female development and stress the role of
relationships between staff members and girls; and
– Programs should address the needs of parenting and pregnant teens.
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OJJDP Resources on Girls
• OJJDP created the Girls Study Group:
http://girlsstudygroup.rti.org/
• Published Guiding Principles for Promising Female Programming:
An Inventory of Best Practices, which highlights exemplary and
effective gender-specific program practices that States and local
jurisdictions can use immediately.
7/18/2015
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Almost Universal Agreement Among
Reformers
• Girls should not be tried as adults or in adult facilities
• Girls (and boys) should not be detained for status offenses
• As budget cuts to community programs ensue, more girls will enter
the juvenile justice system
• Substantial investment into gender- responsive, trauma-informed
front end diversion and community supervision programs is needed
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“Architecture” of Reform Process
The report chronicles impressive reform in the CT, badly needed reform in the Florida
system and innovative reform at the local level in Stanislaus County, CA. Although the
communities took very different approaches, the steps that follow were necessary.
•Research to Diagnose the Problem (including listening to system-involved girls)
•Public Education Campaign
•Strategic Planning
•Engagement of Key Stakeholders, including Girls
•Legislation
•Staff Training
•Community-Based Diversion and Prevention Programs
•Pilot and Demonstration Projects
•Outcome Measures and Evaluation
•Technical Assistance
•Funding and Sustainability
Federal Policy Recommendations to Support
State and Local Reform
The report includes federal policy recommendations. Noting that
federal policy can often seed state and local gender-responsive reform
efforts.
•Conduct and Fund Research and Evaluation
•Develop and Promote High-Quality Assessment and Data Collection
Tools for Girls
•Encourage State Advisory Groups to Focus on Gender-Specific
Programming
•Train Judges, Law Enforcement, and Juvenile Justice Staff
•Encourage Use of Federal Funds to Promote Gender-Responsive
Reform Efforts
Federal Policy Recommendations to Support
State and Local Reform continued
• Convene Interagency Working Groups at Federal and State Levels to
Address the Needs of Marginalized Girls and Young Women
• Eliminate Valid Court Order Exception for Status Offenders
• Ban Shackling for Pregnant Girls
• Monitor Compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act and its
Implementing Regulations
• Encourage the Development of National Standards for GenderResponsive Programming
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Questions? Comments?
What would like to hear more About?
Thank you for your work on behalf of
women and girls.
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