Essay --

The Juvenile Justices System: How Does It Really Work For Our Girls? Girls become delinquent for many different reasons then boys based on biological, social and cultural differences in each gender. From hormones and brain development, to the child’s upbringing by families, to the way girls are expected to act in public compared to boys; a different set of circumstances exists for the reasons why girls become delinquent compared to boys. Siegel, (2007, p.174) explains this by stating. â€Å"There are indications that gender differences in socialization and development do exist and that they may have an effect on juvenile offending patterns.† Girls react differently to most situations, so it’s important to take gender into consideration when evaluating a youth’s past. For example, peer and romantic relationships often have opposite effects on young girls and boys. While boys are less likely to be involved in criminal activity when in a romantic relationship, girls tend to commit more offenses. Girls are also more likely to be afflicted with mental health disorders than boys, because of the numerous differences between male and female juvenile offenders, the ways that they need to be treated should be different as well. According to a study done by the Girls Justice Initiative, 89% of the 118 attorneys and 61% of the 97 judges interviewed across the county agree that girls in the juvenile justice system do not receive adequate services. This report offers best practices starting from how to communicate with girls when first enter to the juvenile justice system to how to best serve them after they leave in ord er to reduce recidivism rates and address the circumstances that led to their incarceration. (Bolton, 2012) Boys an... ... family time, have an open and honest communication line and never be afraid or embarrassed to seek out aid from professionals in your school, community and neighborhood. By doing some of these little things, you prevent the negative socialization that can lead to deviant behavior, at the same time you will model good behavior and keep those biological and psychological factors at bay so that you have time to deal with issues before they become real problems. As the current information exists, both boys and girls are racing towards delinquency faster and faster and though it may be a tie between the genders, the girls may be pulling in front of the boys. In any event, there are way too many participants in the race and we as parents and members of society need to help in reducing the number of racers in the sprint towards juvenile hall and ultimately adult prison. Essay -- The Juvenile Justices System: How Does It Really Work For Our Girls? Girls become delinquent for many different reasons then boys based on biological, social and cultural differences in each gender. From hormones and brain development, to the child’s upbringing by families, to the way girls are expected to act in public compared to boys; a different set of circumstances exists for the reasons why girls become delinquent compared to boys. Siegel, (2007, p.174) explains this by stating. â€Å"There are indications that gender differences in socialization and development do exist and that they may have an effect on juvenile offending patterns.† Girls react differently to most situations, so it’s important to take gender into consideration when evaluating a youth’s past. For example, peer and romantic relationships often have opposite effects on young girls and boys. While boys are less likely to be involved in criminal activity when in a romantic relationship, girls tend to commit more offenses. Girls are also more likely to be afflicted with mental health disorders than boys, because of the numerous differences between male and female juvenile offenders, the ways that they need to be treated should be different as well. According to a study done by the Girls Justice Initiative, 89% of the 118 attorneys and 61% of the 97 judges interviewed across the county agree that girls in the juvenile justice system do not receive adequate services. This report offers best practices starting from how to communicate with girls when first enter to the juvenile justice system to how to best serve them after they leave in ord er to reduce recidivism rates and address the circumstances that led to their incarceration. (Bolton, 2012) Boys an... ... family time, have an open and honest communication line and never be afraid or embarrassed to seek out aid from professionals in your school, community and neighborhood. By doing some of these little things, you prevent the negative socialization that can lead to deviant behavior, at the same time you will model good behavior and keep those biological and psychological factors at bay so that you have time to deal with issues before they become real problems. As the current information exists, both boys and girls are racing towards delinquency faster and faster and though it may be a tie between the genders, the girls may be pulling in front of the boys. In any event, there are way too many participants in the race and we as parents and members of society need to help in reducing the number of racers in the sprint towards juvenile hall and ultimately adult prison.