Sec. 1. Short title; findings

254 words·~1 min read·/bill/114/hr/5512/ih/section-1

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This Act may be cited as the . Improving the Juvenile Justice System for Girls Act of 2016 The Congress finds as follows: The proportion of girls entering the justice system has increased steadily over the past several decades, and girls are among the fastest growing segment of the juvenile justice population. In 1991, around 20 percent of the juvenile arrests were girls. By 2012, girls represented nearly 30 percent. Girls’ pathways into juvenile justice involvement are distinct from boys’ pathways.

Girls account for a much larger proportion of nonviolent status offenders than delinquency offenders (40 percent compared to 14 percent, respectively). Girls are, on average, younger than boys when they enter the juvenile justice system and frequently experience multiple traumatic events. The trauma of untreated physical and sexual abuse results in lifetime consequences for girls. These consequences include a higher risk for a number of negative social and health outcomes such as higher mortality rates, a variety of psychiatric problems, dysfunctional and violent relationships, poor educational achievement, less stable work histories, increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancy, substance abuse or addiction, and increased reliance on social services as compared to non-delinquent girls.

A growing body of evidence suggests that girls who enter the juvenile justice system have equal if not higher rates of mental health issues than boys who enter the system. Current research and data have shown that gender-responsive, strength-based programming providing trauma-informed care and trauma-specific services is the most effective means of preventing juvenile offenses and reducing recidivism.