| Reversing the factors underlying girls' accelerated entry into the juvenile justice system will require a highly organized approach including international, national, State, and local accords, legislation, and initiatives. A key focus of these must be a renewed commitment to eliminating violence toward girls outside and inside the juvenile justice system.
Girls in and on the edge of the juvenile justice system represent one of the least-served juvenile justice populations.
To this end, the United States should consider its level of compliance with international conventions and standards for the protection of children and ensure that its own legislation and policies match these standards (Amnesty International, 1998). In addition, the development and enforcement of Federal standards pertaining to conditions of confinement must specifically identify and respond to the needs of girls (Acoca and Dedel, 1998). To reduce violence toward women and girls in American society at large, Congress should continue to support the Violence Against Women Office and other Federal child-serving offices that provide programs and services to at-risk and delinquent girls.
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