Gender-Responsive Approaches in Juvenile Justice: How the System Prioritizes the Content- and Context-Related Needs of Girls

Abstract

This study analyzes how juvenile courts utilize gender-responsive approaches by examining stakeholder narratives about girls in the juvenile justice system. The study uses a directed content analytic approach to examine the extent to which stakeholder narratives align with gender-responsive principles related to content- and context-related needs. Findings revealed that stakeholders most commonly refer to girls’ family dysfunction, delinquency history, and the need for community-based services. Stakeholders were limited in their discussion of girls’ health and provision of trauma-informed care. Learning from stakeholders provides a unique lens to consider ways to integrate gender-responsive practices within the juvenile justice system.