NCJ Number
109539
Date Published
1987
Length
174 pages
Annotation
This book summarizes the problems and possible solutions identified and discussed at a 1985 San Francisco conference on the treatment of females in the California juvenile justice system.
Abstract
The opening paper develops the theme that the juvenile justice system tends to overreact to female juveniles who are independent and aggressive and underreact to them as sexual abuse victims in their families. Another paper profiles the psychological makeup, experiences, and victimization of juvenile prostitutes, identifies their special needs and how placements can meet these needs, and lists referrals for service and placements. Other papers examine problems and services pertaining to pregnant women and women with young children in the California prison system, describes the procedure used by a San Diego project to develop sentencing alternatives for juveniles, presents a probation officer's perspective of female juvenile delinquents and how the system treats them, and suggests how public defenders can prepare to defend female juveniles. Other issues discussed include the uses and abuses of for-profit secure placements for female juvenile nondelinquents, legal challenges to the management of females in the California juvenile justice system, and counseling juvenile prostitutes. Appendixes include a list of residential programs for girls by county, shelters and counseling services, a model dispositional plan, a model brief challenging a commitment to a facility, and a 60-item bibliography. For individual papers, see NCJ 109540-48.