Essay Sample on Gender-Specific Programs in Juvenile Justice System

Introduction

The treatment that the girls experience in the Juvenile systems can assist the society to understand that violence among girls exists and it does more damages to their lives. It can be noted that the girls' faces a lot of difficulties, when they are sent to detention for the facilities, are built and maintained in a manner that befits the boys. They find it hard to adapt for there are many things that they need in life that lack in these facilities. It can be noted that some of the factors contributing to them being placed behind bars are as a result of the crimes committed against them or problems prevailing in the society that tend to affect them worse off than the boys (Mallicoat, 2018). A good number of the girls have stated that they have experienced harassment in the hands of the caregivers, other people in society and their intimate partners. A significant number of them have received childhood maltreatment and abuse reported in the form of sexual assault and beatings. Childhood neglect is an issue that the girls have undergone, and they have no one they can rely on or talk to about the problems that are experiencing. Parental abandonment and rape have led to these young girls to either run away from home or commit offenses that have driven them to the detention units (Espinosa, 2015). By understanding these experiences and the factors that have driven the women to prison and society can understand that girls are experiencing a lot of violence.

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The gender-specific programs should be geared towards ensuring that the measures and policies adopted are in line with the needs of a given gender in the society. It has been noted that the juvenile systems are more suited to boys for the facilities and equipment tend to favor the male child. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that there is the adoption of measures that will reduce cases that lead to the girls being placed in detentions like the strengthening of the family relationships to ensure that they can access a support system. The government should work towards finding ways of handling the victimization of these girls and managing of cases of mistreatment (Bright, Ward & Junko Negi, 2011). The establishment of centers that can offer support to the girls that are living in high crime areas is a good way of ensuring that the right measures are undertaken to protect the girls. In the juvenile systems, the manager should be people of integrity that can be entrusted with the lives of these young girls and offer them a conducive environment to reflect on the lives and make the right decisions of becoming good people in the society. Having someone that they can talk to and discuss on issues that are driving them to engage in criminal activities is a procedure that can enable them to improve their livelihood. However, the government faces various challenges in implementing these strategies due to factors like inadequacy of funds to run the rehabilitation facilities and centers, especially in high crime areas. Improving the family relationships and the structural process is a tough issue that the government cannot manage to adhere and all it can do is educate people on the importance of having a strong family setup that can provide a conducive environment for the young girls to grow and become better people in the society. When the social bond is strong, cases of mistreatment and rape will not arise.

References

Bright, C. L., Ward, S. K., & Junko Negi, N. (2011). "The chain has to be broken": A qualitative investigation of the experiences of young women following juvenile court involvement. Feminist criminology, 6(1), 32-53.

Espinosa, E. (2015). Proportion of Girls in Juvenile Justice System Is Going Up, Studies Find. Law. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2015/10/02/445346727/proportion-of-girls-in-juvenile-justice-system-is-going-up-studies-find

Mallicoat, S. L. (2018). Women, Gender, and Crime: Core Concepts. SAGE Publications.