Gender-Specific Services for Delinquent Girls Vary Across Programs, But Help Reduce Recidivism

• NCJ Number: 211109
• Date Published: March 2005
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Florida Legislature Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
• Sale Source: Florida Legislature Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: OPPAGA Report No. 05-13; downloaded September 1, 2005.

Annotation

This report identifies gender-specific practices for delinquent girls in Florida's residential commitment programs in seven key areas: mental health, relationships and emotional safety, physical safety, health and hygiene, social and educational programming, program design and evaluation, and staff hiring and training.

Abstract

The study examined the extent to which Florida's residential programming and facilities for delinquent girls met state-of-the-art criteria derived from the published research and Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice's gender-specific contracts. This was done by conducting site reviews at 15 of the State's 28 girls' residential program locations. Most programs substantially met gender-specific criteria for mental health, physical safety, and health and hygiene; however, most programs were weak in the areas of relationships and emotional safety, social and educational programming, staff hiring and training, and program design and evaluation. Programs with the strongest gender-specific services apparently were most effective in reducing recidivism. This report recommends that the Department of Juvenile Justice revise its gender-specific contracts to require the training of staff and program managers in communication skills and the development of positive relationships with girls, as well as provide prevocational and vocational programming, along with the involvement of the girls in program design and evaluation. Further, the department should use recently approved Federal grant money to train managers and staff in gender-specific services as stipulated in the contracts for girls' programs. Also, gender-specific contract requirements should be incorporated into program monitoring forms and quality assurance standards. Finally, through the Girls' Forum, partnerships should be facilitated between program providers and university researchers in conducting ongoing performance assessments. 3 exhibits and appended supplementary information