RESUMO
This paper reviews the prevalence of girls in the U.S. juvenile justice system, compares national and international incarceration rates, and reviews the profile needs of justice-involved girls. The authors offer their Model as an example of how to develop a gender-responsive approach to girls in the justice system, including a description of how the model was operationalized in a community in the United States. Critical developments and emerging opportunities for each of the Model's components: advocacy, model programming, public education, training and technical assistance, gender responsive tools, systems accountability, and evaluation are highlighted. Lessons learned are offered as a springboard for conversations about how the international community can individually assess their needs and resources and work together to improve the response to girls. The paper concludes with recommendations for choosing, evaluating, and implementing best-practice approaches for meaningful reform.
Este artículo revisa la prevalencia de niñas en el Sistema de Justicia Juvenil de Estados Unidos, compara las tasas de encarcelamiento nacional e internacional y examina las necesidades de un perfil de las niñas involucradas. Los autores ofrecen su modelo como ejemplo para desarrollar una aproximación dirigida al género femenino en el Sistema de Justicia, incluyendo una descripción de su operacionalización en una comunidad de los Estados Unidos. En los desarrollos críticos y la emergencia de oportunidades para cada uno de los componentes del modelo, se destacan: la promoción legislativa y las políticas, el modelo de programación, la educación pública, la capacitación y asistencia técnica, las herramientas sensibles al género, los sistemas de responsabilidad y la evaluación. Las lecciones aprendidas se presentan como plataforma para la interlocución sobre la manera en que la comunidad internacional puede, en forma individual, evaluar necesidades y recursos, y trabajar conjuntamente para dar una mejor respuesta a las niñas. El artículo concluye con recomendaciones para escoger, evaluar e implementar mejores prácticas para una reforma significativa.
Assuntos
Psicologia Social , Mulheres , Responsabilidade LegalRESUMO
Despite an increase in middle to older aged adolescent females' early contact with the juvenile justice system, inadequate health care remains a concern. This descriptive study surveyed the physical and mental health needs of 130 self-selected, nonrandomized girls aged 12 to 18 years, with a mean age of 15.42 years (SD, 1.24), who were involved with a juvenile justice diversional program located in a southeastern region of the United States. Findings revealed early initiation of sexual-related activities (mean age, 13.9 years; SD, 1.49) and substance use (mean age, 12.9 years; SD, 1.53). The data suggest an increasing need for pediatric nurses, and in particular advanced practice nurses, to provide gender-responsive health care and health promotion services to early middle-childhood females in the juvenile justice system.
