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Best Practices

At the core of gender responsive programming is the need to educate staff about the complex needs of girls in the juvenile justice system and the most effective ways to work with them. The Center has created "Girl Matters", a comprehensive curriculum for trainers who will in turn educate and train their facility staff. The curriculum is divided into three parts:

Understanding why Gender Matters- Examining the current status of girls in the juvenile justice system and research and theories regarding gender differences.

Aligning the theories with the life experiences of girls to create a gender-responsive culture. In order to improve outcomes for girls, there must be a commitment to create a therapeutic milieu where all policies, practices and processes are derived from a gender lens. At its core, this culture must value the developmental differences of girls and embrace her life experiences. Before any change can occur, staff must understand the importance of safety, relationships, trauma, etc. and the role they play in her life experiences. When staff are deeply aware of the implications of these issues, they will have a better framework to confront and address the more difficult “acting out” behaviors.

Strategies to address challenging behaviors within the context of a gender-responsive culture. Special attention is placed on self-harming and aggressive behaviors typically seen in juvenile justice settings. Specific strategies for staff to expand their toolbox are provided.