Examining Black Girls’ Experiences in Short-Term Detention

• In Event: Advancing Intersectional Feminist Criminology Research and Practice on the Juvenile Legal System

Abstract

Prior literature has examined the impacts of detention on youth with limited focus specifically on girls. Black girls are disproportionately placed in youth detention facilities. Using a critical race perspective, the current study examined the experiences of Black girls in detention through in-depth interviews with girls (n = 24) placed in a Midwestern youth detention facility. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed unique patterns in Black girls’ narratives about their experiences in detention and with law enforcement. Implications for theory, policy, and practice to improve system responses to Black girls will be discussed.

Authors

• Symone Pate, University of Cincinnati

• Valerie Anderson, University of Cincinnati

• Sukhmani Singh, University of Connecticut

• Nicole McKenna, University of Cincinnati