Goals of Project
The New York State Girls’ Justice Initiative (GJI) is a collaboration between Dr. Shabnam Javdani, Principal Investigator of the RISE Team, the New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children (Commission), and the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) that seeks to reduce reliance on confinement for girls and engage in community-based programs to respond to that need. Specifically, over the two year evaluation and implementation period (2016-2018), the GJI used a collaborative and data-driven approach to develop the GRIP Court, a gender- and trauma-responsive court-based model for girls involved in the juvenile legal system, in partnership with the community, girls, and their families. Importantly, the GJI was led on the ground by a multidisciplinary council encompassing stakeholders across the legal system, grassroots organizations, and community partners. This collaboration between multiple systems at the local and state level led to the development of a novel court that thinks “outside the box” to disrupt girls’ pathways into the court system and effectively mobilizes access to community-based resources that more effectively meets their needs, rather than traditional program options. Currently, the NYU research team is engaging in ongoing court analysis to evaluate the outcomes of this initiative.
A major focus of our research program investigates the response of social systems to disruptive behavior problems and violence, and the ways in which change can be leveraged within these systems. This is a particularly important element of our research in psychology, because so few psychological theories on disruptive behavior problems explicitly incorporate an ecological lens.
Specifically, based on foundational work in the fields of criminology and sociology (e.g., Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2004), scholars have recognized that the institutional response of the legal system is an important influence on women and girls’ crime. However, analysis of the institutional response is largely missing from the psychological discourse, despite the increasing contributions of psychologists to the topic of disruptive behavior problems. In addition, no systematic review had been conducted on the legal response to women and girls, particularly with respect to multiple institutional factors.
WGJI Vision Statement
The Westchester County Girls’ Justice Initiative (WGJI) will provide opportunities and improve outcomes for girls at risk or involved in the juvenile justice system, in particular for girls of color who are over-represented at every point of contact in the system. By bringing together leaders of the juvenile justice system and the community, the WGJI will develop a responsive environment that is built on culturally competent gender- and trauma-informed policies and practices for girls at risk or involved in the justice system. This will include assessments, resources and services to prevent girls from being arrested, formally referred to court, and/or placed in detention or placement, as well as to serve girls who enter the system. The WGJI will be informed by research, data analysis and the decision-makers at each point of contact within the justice system, in partnership with the community, girls and their families.
WGJI Mission Statement
Promote healing and provide opportunities, justice and supports that improve outcomes for girls – in particular, for girls of color – who are at risk or involved in the juvenile justice system.