Commentary: Parity Now for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System

Summary

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Last year the General Assembly considered, but did not pass, a bill directing the Department of Juvenile Services to provide the girls it serves with a "range and quality of services substantially equivalent to those offered to males." We supported that bill last year because there was a significant disparity between services the Department provided to boys and girls.

A similar bill has been introduced this legislative session, HB 511. We continue to support the bill because the disparity between services for girls and boys is the same today as it was last year. There still are no vocational programs for girls in secure detention while boys have a selection of vocational programs. Still no access to community college programs for girls, while there is at least one college program for boys. Still no organized sports teams for girls, no access to gyms or pools. Boys have those.

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Extract

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Commentary: Parity Now for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System

And it may have gotten worse. In response to the parity legislation introduced last year, The Department of Juvenile Service...

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