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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -           Juvenile Justice      

# Juvenile Justice

LGBTQ+ youth represent at least 13 to 15 percent of the total detained population in the juvenile justice system.1 LGBTQ+ youth of color are disproportionately overrepresented in the juvenile justice system and are more likely to experience discrimination and violence.2 Some LGBTQ+ youth become involved in the system for violating laws for reasons unrelated to their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, such as engaging in nonviolent survival acts like shoplifting and prostitution while homeless. Others may become involved through pathways that are associated with their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, such as:
                      - family  rejection and subsequent  homelessness , either because youth run away or are forced to leave their homes
                      - detention for consensual, age-appropriate, same-sex behavior 3

LGBT youth have the right to the same safe conditions and protection from harassment and violence within juvenile justice facilities as their peers.4 However, policies to prevent discrimination, bias, and harassment of LGBT youth are limited, and staff are often not trained to create a safe environment for LGBT youth.5 As a result, many of these youth experience a juvenile justice system that is biased and abusive. LGBTQ+ youth in juvenile justice settings may experience high levels of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse and humiliation from peers and adults.

Rather than address these issues, staff may move LGBT youth to a more restrictive or isolated environment.6 LGBT youth may also be labeled as sex offenders despite no such history.7 It is important for juvenile justice facilities to establish and enforce policies that protect LGBT youth from harassment and discrimination and to ensure that staff are well trained in the unique experiences of LGBT youth to create safe, supportive environments for youth and appropriately address harassment and abuse.8

### Policy Approaches to Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) requires correctional agencies to safely screen, classify, and house individuals who are LGBTQ+ or have intersex conditions. PREA mandates the reporting of any sexual behavior among residents and prohibits any sexual behavior by adolescents in residential programs. Even touching is reportable. Facilities are also responsible for providing access to appropriately trained professionals and medically necessary treatment when an individual requests medical care.

The Juvenile Drug Court Treatment Guidelines (PDF, 60 pages) were developed by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and a collaborative team of researchers to translate the best evidence into research-informed practice guidelines. Within this resource there are guidelines specifically targeted to help ensure LGBTQ+ youth who participate in a juvenile drug treatment court (JDTC) receive equitable care, including:9
                      - Guideline 2.5:  JDTCs should ensure that eligibility criteria result in equity of access for all genders; racial and ethnic groups; and youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and gender nonconforming (LGBTQI-GNC) and Two-Spirit.
                      - Guideline 7.1:  Court and treatment practices should facilitate equivalent outcomes (e.g., retention, duration of involvement, treatment progress, positive court outcomes) for all program participants, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

Additionally,**Guideline 1.4**, which focuses on ensuring all team members have equal access to high-quality regular training and technical assistance, emphasizes the importance of using cultural competence when working with youth and families. The following language from this guideline details how and why focusing on LGBTQ+ youth is important and is a good example of how to frame policies related to improving the welfare of LGBTQ+ youth in all human service systems:

Juvenile justice professionals who work with LGBTQI–GNC youth will also benefit from training on concepts such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expressions, as well as Prison Rape Elimination Act standards, rules, and regulations pertaining to this population. Such training will allow those who work in the field to assess any inherent biases and enhance their knowledge of discriminatory practices or policies that can interfere with the administration of fair and beneficial treatment to LGBTQI–GNC youth. Further, this training will stress that all youth deserve to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect regardless of their gender identity or means of expression.10

## Resources

**getREAL (Recognize. Engage. Affirm. Love)**This initiative promotes the healthy development of all children and youth, with a focus on sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. getREAL challenges public systems working with children and youth to improve their policies and practices to support the healthy sexual and identity development of all children and youth in child welfare systems.

**A Guide for Understanding, Supporting, and Affirming LGBTQI2-S Children, Youth, and Families****(PDF, 8 pages)**This guide provides information for service providers, educators, allies, and community members who seek to support the health and well-being of children and youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, or two-spirit (LGBTQI2-S) and their families. This guide can support efforts to promote full and affirming inclusion of LGBTQI2-S youth and families in communities and provider settings (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, schools). The guide includes a section for organizations to add their endorsement electronically. Both the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) have endorsed the guide.

**Improving Services for Youth Who Are LGBT in Juvenile Justice Systems****(PDF, 10 pages)**This fact sheet serves as a resource to enhance the capacity of state and local administrators and practitioners to improve policies and practices that promote the safe, inclusive treatment of LGBT youth in juvenile justice systems. The document explores the experiences of youth who are LGBT generally, their entry into juvenile justice systems and their experiences in these systems, and recommendations for policy and practice. Additional resources to improve juvenile justice services are presented at the end of the document.

**LGBTQ Youths in the Juvenile Justice System****(PDF, 12 pages)**This resource provides information on how to facilitate equivalent outcomes for all youth who are involved in the justice system.

**National Institute of Corrections**This library contains resources related to LGBTI youth, with a specific section on “gender identity issues” as they relate to juvenile justice.

**Policy Review and Development Guide: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Persons in Custodial Settings****(PDF, 79 pages)**This guide includes information to help adult correctional facilities and juvenile justice agencies assess, develop, and improve policies and practices for LGBT and intersex individuals in their custody.

## References

1 Hunt and Moodie–Mills, 2012;  Majd, Marksamer & Reyes, 20092 Irvine & Canfield, 2019; Majd, Marksamer & Reyes, 20093 Majd, Marksamer & Reyes, 20094 Estrada & Marksamer, 20065 Estrada & Marksamer, 2006; National Center for Lesbian Rights, 20066 Estrada & Marksamer, 2006; Majd, Marksamer & Reyes, 2009; National Center for Lesbian Rights, 20067 Estrada & Marksamer, 2006; Majd, Marksamer & Reyes, 20098 Estrada & Marksamer, 2006; National Center for Lesbian Rights, 20069 Jarjoura et al., 201610 Jarjoura et al., 2016

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Announcements 

                          - Brief: Discriminatory Transgender Health Bills Have Critical Consequences for Youth
                          - Fact Sheet: System Involvement Among LBQ Girls and Women
                          - LGBTQ Inclusivity in Schools
                          - Online Training: Healthy Sexuality for Youth in Foster Care: An Online Training for Parents and Caregivers of Youth in Foster Care
                          - Pride Month Census Data
                          - Report: Experiences of LGBTQ People in Four-Year Colleges and Graduate Programs
                          - Report: Homelessness and Housing Instability Among LGBTQ Youth
                          - Report: Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth
                          - Report: Multiracial LGBTQ+ Youth Face Heightened Suicide Risk
                          - Report: The GSA Study: Results of National Surveys About Students’ and Advisors’ Experiences in Gender and Sexuality Alliance Clubs
                          - Report: Violent Victimization by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, 2017–2020
                          - Research: Examining the Relationship Between LGBTQ-Supportive School Health Policies and Practices and Psychosocial Health Outcomes of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Students
                          - Resource: 2023 International Transgender Day of Visibility
                          - Resource: 2SLGBTQ Community Readiness Survey
                          - Resource: Adoption Triad - Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Who Are Adopted
                          - Resource: AFFIRM Caregiver: Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Caregivers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning (LGBTQ+) Populations
                          - Resource: Affirming and Supporting LGBTQ Children and Youth in Child Welfare
                          - Resource: Core Youth Outcomes in Youth of Color
                          - Resource: FAQ Update on 988 Services for LGBTQI+ Youth
                          - Resource: Federal Evidence Agenda on LGBTQI+ Equity
                          - Resource: Federal Funding to Support LGBTQIA2S+ Children, Youth, Young Adults, and Families
                          - Resource: Gender-Affirming Care and Young People
                          - Resource: Inclusive Practices Help All Students Thrive
                          - Resource: LGBTQ Inclusivity Tool
                          - Resource: LGBTQ+ Glossary of Terms
                          - Resource: LGBTQ+ Youth Engagement Virtually and In-Person
                          - Resource: LGBTQIA2S+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Resource: Measuring the Impact of Professional Development
                          - Resource: Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth
                          - Resource: Most Kids with Parent in Same-Sex Relationship Live with Female Couple
                          - Resource: National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth and Families (NCHYF)
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: Podcast Series: Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression
                          - Resource: Preventing Suicide Requires a Comprehensive Approach
                          - Resource: Protecting the Rights and Providing Appropriate Services to LGBTQIA2S+ Youth in Out-of-Home Care
                          - Resource: Providing Culturally Competent Mental Health Care to LGBTQIA+ Youth & Young Adults
                          - Resource: Sexual Health Resource Toolkit for Parents and Caregivers of Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
                          - Resource: Supporting LGBTQI+ Students Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Resource: Supporting the Health and Well-Being of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth
                          - Resource: The National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression (The National SOGIE Center) 
                          - Resource: Toolkit for Implementing Authentic Youth Engagement Strategies Within State Advisory Groups
                          - Resource: Toolkit: Creating Inclusive and Nondiscriminatory School Environments for LGBTQI+ Students
                          - Resource: Voices Amplified
                          - Resource: What Does it Mean to be Two-Spirit?
                          - Resource: Working Virtually With Families of LGBTQ+ Youth.
                          - Resource: Youth Acceptance Project
                          - Resource: Youth Advisory Councils
                          - Resource: Youth AFFIRM: Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning (LGBTQ+) Populations
                          - Share with Youth: Complete GLSEN 2019 National School Climate Survey
                          - Share with Youth: LGBT Resources — Learn More, Get Involved, and Be Proud of Who You Are!
                          - Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents
                          - Toolkit: Celebrating our Magic: Resources for American Indian/Alaska Native Transgender and TwoSpirit Youth, Their Relatives and Families, and their Healthcare Providers
                          - Webinar Recording: The Impact of Bias, Inequities, and Injustices in Supporting Students Impacted by Human Trafficking
                          - Webinar Series: Supporting Gender Diverse Indigenous Youth
                          - Working With LGBTQ+ Families in Foster Care and Adoption
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Briefs 

                          - Recommended Actions to Improve the Health and Well-Being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Communities

### Collaboration Profiles 

                          - Providing Unbiased Services for LGBTQ Youth Project
                          - Y2CONNECT.org

### Data Sources 

                          - 2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

### Feature Articles 

                          - June is LGBT Pride Month
                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - New Brief Highlights the Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth in Child Welfare Settings
                          - New Reports Highlight Human Service Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Populations
                          - New Reports Highlight the Human Service Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender (LGBT) Populations

### Publications 

                          - A Practitioner’s Resource Guide: Helping Families to Support Their LGBT Children
                          - A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals
                          - How Are the Lives of LGBTQ Youth Improved by Gay-Straight Alliances?
                          - Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees
                          - Key Policy Letters from the Education Secretary and Deputy Secretary
                          - Learning from the Field: Listening Tour of Programs Serving Youth who are LGBTQI2-S and Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Meeting the Needs of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youth
                          - Online Sexual Health Resources
                          - Parents’ Influence on the Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Teens: What Parents and Families Should Know
                          - Pride in Our Progress
                          - Primary Sources: Learning How Service Providers and Policy Makers Can Help LGBTQ Homeless Youth
                          - Q&A: Meeting the Needs of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youth
                          - Report: Health-Related Behaviors among Students
                          - Sexual Risk Behavior Differences Among Sexual Minority High School Students — United States, 2015 and 2017
                          - The Economic Well-Being of LGB Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

### Resources 

                          - 5 Online Resources to Help Domestic Violence Programs Offer Inclusive Services to LGBTQ People
                          - Brief: the Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth in Child Welfare Settings
                          - Ending Housing Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals and Families
                          - LGBT Populations: A Snapshot of the Knowledge Base and Research Needs
                          - LGBT Youth Resources
                          - Report: Recommendations of the LGBT Subcommittee: Advancing the Reform Process for LGBQ/GNCT Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
                          - Report: Surviving the Streets of New York: Experiences of LGBTQ Youth, YMSM, and YWSW Engaged in Survival Sex
                          - Research: Does Sexual Orientation Affect Teen Pregnancy Risk?
                          - Resource: Guidance to Help Schools Ensure the Civil Rights of Transgender Students
                          - Resource: Helping Youth Prevent Suicide Among Their LGBTQ Peers
                          - Resource: LGBTQ Youth: Voices of Trauma, Lives of Promise
                          - Resources for Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth
                          - Safe Spaces. Safe Places: Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Environments for Traumatized LGBTQ Youth
                          - Share with Youth: This Free Life
                          - The Equal Access to Housing Rule and Youth

### Technical Assistance 

                          - Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Centers

### Tools & Guides 

                          - 3 Bold Steps for School Community Change
                          - Top Health Issues for LGBT Population Information and Resource Kit

### Videos & Podcasts 

                          - NCFY Voices: Does It Get Better for LGBTQ Teens?
                          - Podcast: Teen Pregnancy Prevention for LGBTQ Youth
                          - Voices from the Field: LGBT-Friendly Teen Pregnancy Prevention

### Websites 

                          - Healthy People 2020

### Youth Topics 

                          - Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
                          - Suicide Prevention

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
- Key Terms & Concepts
- Behavioral Health
- Child Welfare
- Families
- Homelessness & Housing
- Juvenile Justice
- Schools
- Transitioning to Adulthood
- Events Celebrating LGBT Identity, Expression, & Well-Being
- References

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Opportunity: Validate LGBTQ+ Supportive Practices

Resource: Voices Amplified

Resource: Federal Evidence Agenda on LGBTQI+ Equity

### Briefs

Recommended Actions to Improve the Health and Well-Being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Communities

### Collaboration Profiles

Y2CONNECT.org

Providing Unbiased Services for LGBTQ Youth Project

### Data Sources

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

### Feature Articles

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

New Brief Highlights the Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth in Child Welfare Settings

June is LGBT Pride Month

### Publications

Sexual Risk Behavior Differences Among Sexual Minority High School Students — United States, 2015 and 2017

Report: Health-Related Behaviors among Students

The Economic Well-Being of LGB Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

### Resources

Report: Recommendations of the LGBT Subcommittee: Advancing the Reform Process for LGBQ/GNCT Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Resource: Helping Youth Prevent Suicide Among Their LGBTQ Peers

Resource: LGBTQ Youth: Voices of Trauma, Lives of Promise

### Youth Topics

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Suicide Prevention