Gender-specific programs for female delinquents share key elements that boost girls' confidence and skills at the critical point of adolescence, allow them to get their development back on track if it's been interrupted or delayed by risk factors, and prepare them for a positive transition to womanhood. All staff who work with girls in juvenile justice settings need to share an understanding of the goals and philosophy of gender-specific programming. Each girl involved in a gender-specific program needs an individual assessment and treatment plan that will integrate services and put her on the path to wellness.

Guiding Principles for Promising Female Programming	October 1998