ABSTRACT
The proportion of girls in the juvenile legal system in the United States has grown over the past 30 years. As such, researchers and scholars alike have given increased attention to the pathways, experiences, and needs of girls in the system. The current chapter provides an overview of girls’ entrance into the system and their experiences and needs while system involved. This chapter contextualises girls’ experiences using theories such as feminist pathways, relational-cultural theory, trauma theory, and intersectionality. Further, this chapter contrasts gender-neutral with gender-responsive services utilized in out-of-home placements such as detention centres, residential treatment, and group homes. Community-based placements and diversion practices for girls are also discussed using a gender-responsive and trauma-informed lens. The discussion considers how practitioners and scholars can best respond to this population considering girls’ victimization and trauma histories, unique mental health and relational needs, and the intersection of multiple marginalized identities. Adopting this framework both in residential placements and in the community is crucial to the success of system-involved girls.
