Girl Scouts Beyond Bars: Providing a Better Path

• NCJ Number: 249001
• Date Published: 2012
• Length: 16 pages
• Agencies: OJJDP-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description

Annotation

This document describes the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program (GSBB), which is a national program that serves girls ages 5 to 17 whose mothers are incarcerated, while also strengthening the mother/daughter bond through regular visits that involve the mothers in features of the GSBB conducted within the prison during their daughters' visits.

Abstract

The components of the GSBB reflect the basic goals of the Girl Scouts program, which are to "discover," "connect," and "take action." The "discover" component pertains to the building of confidence in one's worth while discovering and developing one's distinctive talents for contributing to beneficial experiences for oneself and others. The second component of the GSBB is to encourage and guide mothers and their daughters to "connect" to local and global activities and projects that make one's community and the world a better place. The third component of GSBB is to encourage and guide incarcerated mothers and their daughters to "take action" in improving one's own life as well as the lives of others. The overall goal of GSBB is to assist incarcerated mothers and their daughters in sharing a common journey toward becoming confident leaders who make a positive impact on the lives of others.