Door one slammed. I passed through door two. Slam! Again, after passing through door three, another slam! I entered the Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC) not at all intimidated, but understanding how someone might feel that way. This RYDC, one of the most secure facilities in Georgia, houses youth offenders including girls as young as 12 to 18-years old– girls who make up the growing population of inmates incarcerated each year, often as a result of offenses committed during early adolescence.

I was escorted to a room where twelve girls stood, dressed in identical blue jumpers. They were Latina, African American, and Caucasian; tall and short; interested and skeptical; bold and apprehensive. All were girls who, along life’s early journey, had met trouble. As an introduction to GOAL’s 90 minute workshop session, girls were invited to participate in fun icebreaker games, including an "ask me almost anything" game. Each girl wrote down one question they had for me on one side of the page and on the other side one thing about herself to be shared at the end of the session. Next, the girls were allowed to take off their shoes to play a name game, role-playing how to introduce themselves to others, kindly correcting someone when a mispronunciation of a name was made. Some girls tried to opt out, protesting they were "too cool" for this kind of play. But with just a little urging, they soon joined in the fun and fully participated.

Our workshop topic that day was stereotypes and identity from the GOAL module Appreciating & Respecting Diversity. Flipchart paper with various identity labels were posted around the room. Girls gathered at the paper they felt best fit their primary identity. The options ranged from racial identity to community identity to group identity. Once they had chosen, the groups each listed three characteristics about that identity that made them proud. Girls who identified themselves as Latina wrote, “Latina girls care deeply for their families.” Two girls who stood at the “Down for My Crew" poster wrote that they “Have their friend’s back, no matter what.” Next, girls wrote down three common negative stereotypes about their group. The sole girl who identified herself as an "Urban" girl wrote, “We don't want to work, just hang out in the streets and cause trouble.”  At the conclusion of this activity, the girls presented what they had written. The room was alive with chatter as girls responded to each others reports. Seated back in a circle, the girls were invited to discuss their feelings about the positive traits and the negative stereotypes that were discussed. We then moved on to identify ways to stay strong, to be resilient, and to live our lives not conforming to the negative beliefs that others may hold about our group, but to live in a way that counters those negative stereotypes.

To be in a room filled with girls who may not have ever met if not for their troubled times during adolescence and watch them share their thoughts and ideas in this kind of experiential exercise, was a powerful and amazing experience. For those 90 minutes, each girl had a voice – each opinion mattered as they explored the complex issues surrounding their identities. GOAL programs, like this one, bring optimism, hope and empowerment into the lives of girls who have experienced difficult times and temporarily reside in a RYDC. This short workshop provided just a glimpse into the impact that GOAL can have on girls in the juvenile justice system.  When asked to join the growing surge to improve the care for girls in the juvenile justice system, GOAL’s answer is a resounding YES!

In 1992, Georgia Legislation established the Department of Juvenile Justice, an agency responsible for housing youth offenders as they await trial dates or served time for criminal offenses. Since 1993, the number of arrests among female adolescents has increased at a greater rate (for most offense categories) than male adolescents. Research shows that adolescent girls who come into contact with the juvenile justice system report extraordinarily high levels of abuse and trauma. Adolescent female offenders face significant challenges with interpersonal relationships [National Mental Health Association].

GOAL is currently seeking funding to provide ongoing GOAL programming to the Regional Youth Detention Centers of Georgia. For more information on how you can help, contact Zola Shannon-Mullen, Director of Programs & Partnerships at zola@goalonline.org or 404-633-9413.

Back to News