Girls gone wild: How you can help rescue our teenage girls

The presence of girls in the U.S. juvenile justice system is on the rise, even though the nation’s juvenile crime has decreased overall in the last two decades. While the rate of delinquency dropped 29% for males between 1985 and 2002, the rate of delinquency for females rose a whopping 92%.

Such a rate of female delinquency is shocking and diversionary programming must be implemented immediately in order to reverse the trend. In response to this crisis, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing in October entitled “Girls in the Juvenile Justice System: Strategies to Help Girls Achieve Their Full Potential.”

Dr. C. Jackie Jackson, Ph.D., executive director of Girls Inc. of the Greater Peninsula, addressed the Subcommittee. Throughout her speech, she underscored the need for juvenile diversionary programs, particularly for girls.

According to Jackson, “primary prevention is the most cost-effective way to address the problem of juvenile crime among girls.” In addition to providing a safe place to go after school, programs like Girls Inc. provide programs that focus on life and social skills, financial and media literacy, empowerment and self-esteem, academics, and wholesome fun. When adolescents participate in after-school programming, they are participating in positive activities and avoiding the peak times for juvenile crime, juvenile drug and alcohol use, and teenage sexual activity.

Diversionary programs like Girls Inc. are critical in ensuring that girls have an opportunity to avoid the juvenile justice system. Such programs are a cost-saving measure, investing in girls’ development instead of paying their way through the juvenile justice system. Jackson reports that nationwide estimates for housing one adolescent in a juvenile detention center range from $32,000 – $65,000 per year. In contrast, a year’s worth of programming at Girls Inc. (including both after school and summer programs) costs less than $2,000.

Though the return on investment of these preventative programs seems obvious, Girls Inc. and thousands of other juvenile diversion programs across the nation find themselves struggling for funding. Many adolescents participating in these programs come from low-income families and cannot afford to pay for services. It is crucial that both Congress and the community rally to support juvenile diversion programs that help children access education and keep them from winding up in the criminal justice system. It is especially critical to meet the needs of teenage girls who often find themselves lost in a juvenile justice system designed for teenage boys.

What can you do to help? Get vocal! Support your local juvenile diversionary programs by calling on your elected officials to fully fund essential programs and volunteer or donate when you can. You can find a list of representatives that make up the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, by visiting its webpage. To learn more about Girls Inc. and its programming, visit www.girlsinc.org.