The increasing rates of girls entering the justice system and the complexity of the issues that impact the lives of young women, underscore the urgency and our obligation to advocate for meaningful reform. Despite research and evidence documenting gender differences in offending and pathways to delinquency, girls have been considered a low priority. Girls continue to be inappropriately placed in facilities and programs designed for boys or that emphasize razor wire over treatment. Consistently missing the mark, there is an epidemic of programs that are ill equipped to effectively address girls’ needs and tragically where girls are further victimized or traumatized.
