ArticleA National Overview of Reproductive Health Care Services for Girls in Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities
Section snippets
Data
The universe of JJRFs includes everything from short-term detention centers and group homes to residential treatment and long-term secure facilities that resemble adult prison. Other types of JJRFs include boot camps, shelters, and reception and diagnostic centers. All of the approximately 3,500 facilities in the United States house young people who have been charged with or adjudicated for an offense, and they maintain an average daily population of approximately 105,000 young people (Snyder &
Results
Of the 1,255 JJRFs meeting the inclusion criterion of housing ≥1 girl during the reference month of September, 2004, one quarter (n = 319) of these facilities housed only girls on the CJRP 2003 reference day, and the remaining facilities housed both boys and girls. On the fourth Wednesday of October, 2003, there were 14,590 girls assigned beds in a JJRF because of an offense.
As seen in Table 1, there are a number of statistically significant associations and differences between mixed-gender
Discussion
There are 3 primary results of relevance to the field and for policymakers. The first and more optimistic finding is that, on average and across a range of service areas, about 70% of all JJRFs that house girls are able to access some form of reproductive health services (exceptions include prenatal and hepatitis B vaccinations in mixed-gender facilities).
The second and more pessimistic finding shows that many JJRFs are operating contrary to the recommendations of the NCCHC, SAM, and AAP in
Catherine A. Gallagher, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Justice, Law and Crime Policy Graduate Program at George Mason University. Her research focuses on the ways in which the intersection between health care and justice agencies may be improved to better meet the needs of high-risk populations and the public health of their larger communities. Dr. Gallagher is also President and Senior Research Fellow at the Lloyd Society in Kensington, Maryland.
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Cited by (22)
Pregnancy Prevalence and Outcomes in 3 United States Juvenile Residential Systems
2021, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent GynecologyCitation Excerpt :Yet, only 38.7% of JRS reported full compliance with National Commission on Correctional Health Care health screening standards and 47.7% reported full compliance with the assessment standards.24 Another 2004 juvenile facility census revealed only 15%-17% of 1255 facilities in the United States tested all youth for pregnancy on admission whereas 64.9%-69.3% of JRS provided pregnancy tests if requested by the youth.2 These data contradict national recommendations and suggest systems heavily rely on each adolescent's willingness to test for pregnancy.
Access to Reproductive Health Care in Juvenile Justice Facilities
2020, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent GynecologyPerspectives on Patient-Centered Family Planning Care from Incarcerated Girls: A Qualitative Study
2019, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent GynecologyCitation Excerpt :Individuals who are incarcerated have a right to health care,7 however, the details of accessing care, the quality of care, and services available vary according to facility. Professional societies, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Adolescent Medicine, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recommend that comprehensive reproductive health care be available to all incarcerated girls8–10; however, limited evidence from surveys of correctional facilities suggests that this is not common practice.9,11,12 Although the National Commission of Correctional Health Care sets standards for family planning (FP) services within juvenile detention facilities,13 compliance with these standards is voluntary; one survey reported less than 2% of juvenile residential facilities have documented compliance.14
Treating Youths in the Juvenile Justice System
2017, Pediatric Clinics of North AmericaCitation Excerpt :Only 4.3% of facilities tested this population for HIV. Despite the finding that 25% of these JJRFs reported housing 1 or more pregnant teen, 25% offered no obstetric services and only 85% reported that some girls received gynecologic care as necessary, based on self-reported sexual activity or suspected pregnancy.41 The 2004 National Commission on Correctional Healthcare Standards for Health Services in Juvenile Detention and Confinement Facilities, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all recommended STD and gynecologic care for all at-risk adolescents, especially those entering JJ facilities, which would provide unique access to this underserved population.42–44
In Their Own Voices: The Reproductive Health Care Experiences of Detained Adolescent Girls
2016, Women's Health IssuesCitation Excerpt :Both the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine and the American Public Health Association have statements about the importance of comprehensive health care in detention (American Public Health Association, 2003; Joseph-DiCaprio et al., 2000). Additionally, reproductive health programs that have been empowering for girls in the detention setting have been described (Farrow & Schroeder, 1984; Gallagher, Dobrin, & Douds, 2007; Greene et al., 1999; Hurd, Valerio, Garcia, & Scott, 2010; Kelly, Owen, Peralez-Dieckmann, & Martinez, 2007). Implementing new programs that are both empowering and effective for promoting health are an important next step.
Health care for youth involved with the correctional system
2014, Primary Care - Clinics in Office Practice
Catherine A. Gallagher, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Justice, Law and Crime Policy Graduate Program at George Mason University. Her research focuses on the ways in which the intersection between health care and justice agencies may be improved to better meet the needs of high-risk populations and the public health of their larger communities. Dr. Gallagher is also President and Senior Research Fellow at the Lloyd Society in Kensington, Maryland.
Adam Dobrin, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University and is an Academic Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy. His research interests focus on violence, guns, data quality, and examining crime through a public health model. His teaching interests include research methods, police, violence, criminal and juvenile justice systems, and theory. Dr. Dobrin is also Secretary and Senior Research Fellow at the Lloyd Society in Kensington, Maryland.
Ann S. Douds, JD, is completing her PhD in Justice, Law, and Crime Policy at George Mason University. Her academic interests include health care as a social justice issue for youth within custody of the juvenile justice system, the interface between compromised physical health and delinquency, and gender equity within the juvenile justice system. Ms. Douds is also Vice President, Treasurer, and Senior Research Fellow at the Lloyd Society in Kensington, Maryland.
Supported in part by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and by The Lloyd Society.