Using Girls' Voices and Words to Study Their Problems

An Ecological Model for Intervention for Juvenile Justice-Involved Girls

“…Importantly, the GAP model is also in keeping with feminist studies of girls’ treatment wants and needs (e.g., Belknap, Holsinger, & Dunn, 1997), which suggest that girls highly value respect (during and after incarceration) and fairness in obtaining privileges (e.g., in comparison with boys), report frustrating or degrading experiences when attempting to obtain services, and report a multitude of needs, including sex education, medical care, substance abuse, and mental health concerns (Belknap et al, 2011; Belknap et al, 1997). These considerations have been incorporated into gender-responsive probation models, which demonstrate some success, and differ from probation “as usual” in that they have higher monitoring, incorporation of graduated sanctions, needs assessment, and multiple phases of treatment intervention, particularly for substance abusing women (Morash, 2010).…”

“…In the intervention, decision-making authority regarding the focus of the intervention and the specific direction(s) it will take is entirely driven by the girls being served. This is essential given that girls have clearly articulated what they would like to see in an intervention (Belknap, Gaarder, Holsinger, McDaniels Wilson, & Cady, 2011). This follows the tradition of feminist studies that have amplified the voices of justice-involved girls and women and incorporate the explicit orientation that they are the experts in their own lives.…”

Gender-Responsive Approaches in Juvenile Justice: How the System Prioritizes the Content- and Context-Related Needs of Girls

“…Much of the gender-responsive literature discusses services focusing on addressing the trauma and victimization histories of girls. Researchers have used gender-salient theories (e.g., feminist pathways) to understand girls’ increased risk for offending due to traumatic events (Belknap et al, 2011). Thus, gender-responsive treatment should address violence, sexual abuse, and other childhood traumas such as loss of a parent or experiencing other forms of abuse (Baines & Alder, 1996; Belknap et al, 2011; Bloom et al, 2003; Bond-Maupin et al, 2002; Chesney-Lind et al, 2008; Covington, 2000; Gaarder et al, 2004; Garcia & Lane, 2010).…”

Activist Criminology: Criminologists’ Responsibility to Advocate for Social and Legal Justice

“…My mostly volunteer participation on the Denver Metro Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee resulted in a publication with practitioners and victim advocates, one of whom is a former undergraduate student (Belknap et al., ). My collaborations with Bonnie Cady, a Colorado juvenile youth advocate whom I met when giving a brown‐bag research presentation on campus, resulted in data collection and numerous publications on delinquent girls and those who work with them (Belknap and Cady, ; Belknap et al., ; Belknap, Winter, and Cady, ).…”