Girl Scouts Beyond Bars: Incarcerated Mothers, Empowered Daughters--and a Better Future for All

• NCJ Number: 249000
• Date Published: 2012
• Length: 21 pages
• Agencies: OJJDP-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description

Annotation

This document outlines the features of the Girl Scout program that involves incarcerated mothers in Girl Scout Troop meetings with their daughters, as both receive the benefits of the Girl Scout program during mother-daughter visits.

Abstract

The main features of the program are captioned as "Discover," "Connect," and "Take Action." The "Discover" aspect of the program focuses on discovering one's value to self and to others. Low self-esteem is a prevalent characteristic of incarcerated mothers, and their daughters are also at risk for this negative sense of self, which impedes positive development and leadership. In the Girl Scout program, participants also "discover" their positive attributes and talents. In a second component of the program, the daughters and their mothers "connect" to others. both locally and globally, in their efforts to contribute to a better world. In addition, Girl Scouts are encouraged and guided to "take action" in projects and daily responsibilities that use their talents and leadership skills for improvement in the lives of others and their own lives.