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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) defines gender-specific services as those that are designed to meet the unique needs of female offenders; that value the female perspective; that celebrate and honor the female experience; that respect and take into account female development; that empower girls and young women to reach their full human potential; and that work to change established attitudes that prevent or discourage girls and young women from reaching their potential.
 
 

Guiding Principles

• Equality does not mean sameness; equality must be defined in terms of providing opportunities that are relevant to each gender, not simply allowing women access to services traditionally reserved for men. Needed services may be different.

• Treatment based on theory of female development; gender-specific programs are not simply "female only" programs that were originally designed for males, but rather programs that acknowledge and address the unique needs and issues related to women's/girls' psychological development.

• Female role models: girls and women can benefit from positive female role models and mentors who exemplify survival and growth. Staff composition in terms of gender, race/ethnicity and sexual orientation is critical.

Why is it necessary?

• Research on adolescent female development suggests that girls develop self-esteem differently, learn differently, value different things, process information differently and respond differently to people and situations than boys.

• Female identity is developed in relationship to others whereas boys develop their identity in relation to the world. Connectedness to relationships is a critical issue in the foundation of female identity and is a key rehabilitation treatment issue.
• Social theories of crime were developed to explain criminality in men. Individual and pathological theories were used to explain female criminality.
• Conformity to sex stereotypes and traditional gender roles is expected. Females who deviate and behave in "Adventurous, Aggressive or Outspoken" manners are viewed as "at-risk" or "in trouble". Men who exhibit similar behaviors are viewed as "normal".
• Criminal justice programs based on the male experience often neglect unique female needs. Effective female treatment will result from a theoretical approach that is gender sensitive.
• Girls confront problems that tend to be gender unique such as sexual abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, adolescent pregnancy and single parenthood.

ECONOMIC

CalWORKS aid recipient rate

Percent of CalWORKS participants working or involved in work-related activities

Food Stamp recipient rate

Number of people in families with children in shelters (on average at any point in time)

Rate of children living in poverty (under 18)

Unemployment rate

HEALTH

Infant mortality rate

Percent of low birth weight babies

Teen birth rate (15 ­ 17)

Number of youth suicides

Rate of hospitalization of children and youth for mental illness

Percent of youth that reported they had 5 or more drinks in a row on one or more days in the last 30 days

Percent of youth that reported they smoked marijuana on one or more days in the last 30 days

Percent of youth that reported they smoked tobacco on one or more days in the last 30 days

ACCESS TO SERVICES

Percent of eligible children in subsidized child care (of those who requested it)

Average waiting time for outpatient alcohol and drug treatment services (publicly funded)

Average waiting time for non-emergency outpatient mental health services for children and youth (publicly funded)

Immunization coverage rate of two-year olds

Percent of insured children by type of coverage

SAFETY

Juvenile Crime: Rate of petitions filed in juvenile court

Homicide of youths by age

Rate of children living in out-of-home placement as a result of child abuse/neglect

Rate of domestic violence incidents (law enforcement responded)

Unintentional injury mortality rate of youth

Number of alcohol-related motor vehicle crash fatalities (under 18)

EDUCATION

High school dropout rate

School attendance rate (K-12)

Percent of CalWORKS school-aged children that regularly attends school

School suspension/expulsion rate (K-12)
 
 

PLEASE NOTE ANY SPECIAL CULTURAL, HEALTH-RELATED, UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OR COMMENTS:

San Diego County Community Assessment Teams

Risk & Resiliency Checkup (Reference Scores: 9/98)

NAME: Scored by:

Agency: Date Administered:
 
 

SHORT PROFILE SCORES

Circle Risk Factor Subscale Used: Family Peer Individual Education Delinquency Substances

FULL PROFILE SCORES

SCORES BY SUBSCALE (combined Resiliency and Risk Factors)

SCORES BY PROFILE (combined Resiliency and Risk Factors)

Screening Disposition:

• Refer To Community Assessment Team
• Refer for services:
• Other:

 

COMMITTEE	MISSION	STRATEGIES
POLICYMAKER "BUY IN-STAY IN"	Ensure that elected officials, policy makers, and community leaders support the Comprehensive Strategy.	Investigate, evaluate and communicate the efforts and successes of communities to establish laws, policies, and practices that positively impact community norms. Utilize structured decision making process to allocate resources to fill identified gaps. In addition, the following entities have lead responsibilities: Probation Department, in collaboration with Health & Human Services (Mental Health, Alcohol & Drug Services, Social Services), County Office of Education, community agency providers, and SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division: Implement and evaluate the Breaking Cycles Demonstration Project during the period July 1, 1996, through June 30, 2000.  Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Heartbeat, and Comprehensive Strategy Team: Systemwide, balanced approach to funding. Common definitions of geographic boundaries/service delivery areas among all the public and nonprofit service delivery systems. Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Partners for Success: Evaluate traditional roles of law enforcement providers and determine more effective training in prevention-focused, community-based, family-oriented partnerships. Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Agency Directors, Program Managers, Children's Initiative, Commission on Children, Youth & Families: Utilize resources (like Partners for Success) to provide cross-systems training throughout the region. Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Agency Directors, Program Managers, Children's Initiative, Commission on Children, Youth & Families: Develop formal, cooperative interagency agreements that clearly state the relationships between agencies, to include descriptions of and numbers of services to be provided, criteria for determining type of youth to be served (or referred), information that can be shared, by and to whom and under what circumstances, etc. County Board of Supervisors, Chief Administrative Officer, Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Heartbeat: Develop a case management system that follows youth through the various stages of the continuum. Designate the Chief PO with responsibility and provide resources needed to coordinate an interagency, centralized intake-case management-program control process and Management Information System. Fund programs and develop new resources that are relevant to desired outcomes, and continue funding those that demonstrate effectiveness. Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division, local university researchers: Continue development of countywide outcome measures to evaluate effectiveness of systemwide and community strategies; develop and implement evaluation tools that match local strategies; develop ways to obtain local community participation in program evaluation efforts.
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT	Develop and utilize a systemwide funding strategy based on outcomes and filling identified gaps	Recommend desired outcomes to policy makers. Adopt assessment instruments and protocols to identify local needs, resources, priorities. Utilize grant resource networks and community collaboratives to seek partners and resources to fill identified gaps. Liaison with San Diego County Health and Human Service Agency to fill prevention gaps. Continue to identify and educate community on "what works". Collaborate with San Diego County Health and Human Service Agency and Probation to fill gaps utilizing Children's Investment Trust Fund and Local Juvenile Placement Trust Fund. Pursue resources to fund identified gaps in the Local Action Plan and Community-Based Punishment Options Plan, with emphasis on geographic program placement, aftercare, and programs for girls Focus on providing more prevention, early intervention (front-end) services as savings are realized by using more community-based graduated sanction and aftercare programs. Obtain more local control over state and federal funding with fewer restrictions.
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND ADVOCACY	Advocate and gain support for the Comprehensive Strategy in all areas of the community by engaging the community.	Ensure public awareness of the Comprehensive Strategy. Gain support from the media, business, grass roots entities, and others to convey the vision in as broad a manner as possible. Develop appropriate and relevant means for sharing information and engaging the community. Secure media and public relations expertise for publicizing prevention and intervention strategies, engaging community involvement, and celebrating school, neighborhood, and community achievements.
COORDINATION: MERGING PARADES	Coordinate Comprehensive Strategy efforts with all other initiatives serving youth and families. Involve youth and families in program design and implementation.	Develop common language that values and validates all input. Develop uniform referral protocols. Develop and train community planning teams to conduct community risk assessments (Communities That Care model). Develop a comprehensive assessment tool or integrated process that can be used at different points in the continuum from prevention through aftercare. Establish MOU's for cooperation, information sharing, and use of universal risk and needs assessments between all participants. Explore use of regionally or neighborhood-based Resource Centers for one-stop service. Explore use of a resource clearinghouse with a service hotline. Establish process that assigns responsibility for referral follow-up and follow through. Substance Abuse Treatment Efforts - Adopt countywide common definitions for AOD treatment modalities, collect profiles on existing resources, involve offenders in design.
INFORMATION SHARING	Develop a comprehensive MIS for capturing and analyzing risk/needs assessment data.	Liaison with Regional Data Sharing Forum to enhance communications, data sharing, and coordination among police, schools, CBO's, probation, public and private social service agencies. Develop a comprehensive MIS for capturing and analyzing information collected in risk and needs assessments.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DEVELOPMENT-INCLUSIVENESS	Increase the number of community members (individuals, families, schools, businesses, organizations, service providers, etc.) engaged in efforts to mobilize and promote crime-free, healthy communities.	Develop protocols for community readiness and mobilization. Expand representation on Comprehensive Strategy Team, either by adding members or charging current members with communicating and reporting back. Develop formal linkages, coordinate and collaborate with all agencies, systems in the region that provide services to at-risk youth (i.e., CPS, Mental Health, AOD, etc.) Support prevention-focused strategies of Substance Abuse Summit and Methamphetamine Strike Force. Use existing or sponsor forums for youth to participate in all phases of planning and implementing full continuum of prevention and graduated sanction services. Promote pictures and expectations of healthy lifestyles that can positively impact community norms. Develop community-based prevention and intervention programs that target identified at-risk youth and juvenile offenders.