ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to address this void by examining portrayals of Black girls and young women as aggressive that may influence perceptions of them as well as their entry into and treatment within the juvenile and criminal justice systems. A number of factors along this pathway have been identified as contributors to incarceration. The chapter argues that a link critical to understanding the treatment of Black girls and young women at every point along the school-to-pipeline is being overlooked and understudied. That link is popular media and stereotypes of Black women. Stereotypic representations of Black girls and young women are commonplace in our society, particularly in popular media. While there is roughly equal participation of both Black and non-Black girls in the programs featured throughout the series, there are striking cross-racial differences in the portrayals of these girls. Black girls and young women represent a substantial segment of the population impacted by the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems.
