Justice Department Launches Website to Improve Outcomes for At-Risk and Delinquent Girls

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Justice announces a new resource—the National Girls Institute website—to better meet the needs of at-risk and delinquent girls, their families and the agencies and organizations that serve them.  The institute is supported by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) through a grant from the Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

"We have a responsibility to educate professionals and the public about what programs work to keep girls safe and out of trouble," said Melodee Hanes, Acting Administrator of OJJDP.  "This website is an important step forward in our efforts to improve the lives of girls across the country."

OJJDP established the National Girls Institute in 2010 to develop and provide a range of training, technical assistance and other resources to local, tribal and private organizations serving girls and young women in, or at risk of entering, the juvenile justice system.  Through this website, professionals can submit requests for training and technical assistance, as well as find current information about best practices, gender-responsive tools, research and related events.

"The National Girls Institute website is a critical resource for the public to learn about research, practical tools and best practices specific to the issues surrounding girls and young women with experiences in the juvenile justice system," said Dr. Lawanda Ravoira, Director of the NCCD Center for Girls and Young Women. "The website will be a dynamic way to share timely information about the urgent needs of girls, as well as giving girls, their parents and caregivers practical resources. Most importantly, the website provides a vehicle for bringing girls' issues to the forefront, so we can effect positive change."

Visit the website at www.nationalgirlsinstitute.org.

For more information about OJJDP research and programs related to girls in the juvenile justice system, visit www.ojjdp.gov/programs/girlsdelinquency.html 

The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims.  OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking.  More information about OJP can be found at www.ojp.gov.

SOURCE Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs

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