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Salons at Stowe

 

Gender Bias in Juvenile Justice

March 24, 2016

Mallory LaPierre, Policy Associate with the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance and Kimball Robbins, Regional Manager of Juvenile Probation and Gender Responsive Probation with the Court Support Services Division of Connecticut, led a conversation on the intersection of gender, race and juvenile justice. Ms. LaPierre and Ms. Robbins said that girls, in particular girls of color, are the fastest growing population in the juvenile justice system. Despite this, most programs focus on boys, thus girls are underserved and ignored. They said that probation officers and detention center staff are not trained to deal with issues relating to girls. Many girls experience significant trauma prior to entering the system. This trauma needs to be addressed by trained professionals to prevent girls from returning to the system.

Inspiration to Action

  • Mentor girls and young women through organizations like the Boys and Girls Club
  • Listen to the voices of girls, in particular girls of color, who have been in the juvenile justice system
  • Advocate for programs that support girls and young women in the juvenile justice system
  • Recognize that incarceration and detention centers may do more harm than good, especially for girls and young women who have experienced trauma
Location Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Doors Open 5:30 - 7:15 PM
Program 5:30 - 7:15 PM