In 2015, OJJDP released its policy guidance on “Girls In the Juvenile Justice System” which continues to provide direction on justice reform for girls and gender-expansive young people impacted by the juvenile justice system.

In 2015 the Beyond ACE report was issued during an event on Capital Hill focused on the needs of girls and gender expansive young people. The report outlined the findings from the 2014 second ACE administration study which collected data on well-being questions in the areas of stress, coping and connectedness. A total of 1,015 individuals were surveyed, including 745 females and 270 males. The survey was also completed for 109 children whose mothers were receiving support from Crittenton agencies and took the survey for them – allowing for a multigenerational analysis of ACEs. 

Findings from both of the ACE administrations show that youth receiving services from Crittenton agencies have cumulative ACE scores significantly higher than those reported in the original ACE study and that girls and gender-expansive young people report a higher prevalence of exposure across all 10 adversity categories compared to boys. 

National Crittenton is currently conducting a third administration of the ACE.  A finding report on this data will be available in 2021.

A report of the findings that came out of the first Crittenton Adverse Childhood Experiences Study was released in October 2012 at an event on Capitol Hill. 

Additional briefs were also created for girls in the juvenile justice system and those in residential care.

In 2018-2019, National Crittenton conducted a national field scan of state level actors working in the youth delinquency system to assess the field’s understanding of the challenges faced by system actors charged with addressing the needs of system-involved cis, trans, and gender-expansive girls and young women. Information was gathered from state representatives in 35 states including Juvenile Justice Specialists and youth justice state representatives. In all cases, open-ended interviews were conducted by phone or email about the drivers leading girls into the deep end of their youth justice systems and the state of their continuum of community-based supports and services for girls.

National Crittenton and the Crittenton family of agencies periodically collect information about exposure to adversities during childhood among youth supported by the agencies. The administration of the survey mirrors that of the CDC-Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study (1998) which is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse, neglect, and household challenges along with the impacts these have on later-life health and well-being. The goals of the Crittenton ACE studies have been to:

 1) create a profile of the impact of childhood adversities among youth served by the agencies, 

2) help inform supports and services, and 

3) use the findings to educate the community and policymakers at the local, state, and national levels about the role of childhood adversities in the lives of youth living at the social, economic, and political margins. 

The first administration was conducted in 2011 in a total of 18 states and included demographic questions and the 10 item ACE survey. Usable responses totaled 1,350: 916 females and 435 males. Based on findings from this administration, From Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) to Success for Young Mother Led Families was released in October 2012 at an event on Capitol Hill. Additional briefs were also created for girls in the juvenile justice system and those in residential care. In 2014 for the second ACE administration, well-being questions in the areas of stress, coping and connectedness were added to the survey. A total of 1,015 individuals were surveyed, including 745 females and 270 males. The survey was also completed for 109 children whose mothers were receiving support from Crittenton agencies and took the survey for them – allowing for a multigenerational analysis of ACEs. Beyond ACE was released in 2015 during an event on Capitol Hill focused on the needs of girls and gender-expansive young people involved in multiple systems.

Findings from both of the ACE administrations show that youth receiving services from Crittenton agencies have cumulative ACE scores significantly higher than those reported in the original ACE study and that girls and gender-expansive young people report a higher prevalence of exposure across all 10 adversity categories compared to boys. National Crittenton is currently conducting a third administration of the ACE.  A finding report on this data will be available in 2021. 

In 2018, National Crittenton conducted a descriptive study of Girls Courts. These specialty courts were designed to address the needs of girls chronically involved in the juvenile justice system who often have histories of extensive trauma and failed service delivery by multiple systems (i.e., child welfare, education, mental health, etc.). While these courts were founded to specifically address the gender-specific needs of girls, little is known about the courts, their goals, theory of change, structure, and functioning – especially in comparison to other youth specialty courts. Site visits were conducted at three “girls courts” located in Ohio, Florida, and California and over 50 interviews were conducted with court personnel, community-based organizations, service providers, and impacted girls and their families about their perceptions of goals, successes, and failures of these specialty courts.

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Systems have turned a blind eye to the ways in which the social safety net designed for adults is a trap for young parents. While national rates of teen pregnancy/parenting have been on the decline over the past few decades, Crittenton agencies continue to provide services and supports for a significant number of young mothers. These young mothers are often our most marginalized and vulnerable, reporting extensive histories of child welfare/foster care involvement and a host of childhood adversities. 

Unfortunately, little is known about these young parents. Neither the child welfare nor juvenile justice system have been required to report the numbers of expectant or parenting youth in their systems – warranting a deeper, more focused look at their lives and specific needs. Without data their issues remain invisible. Without identifying the issues, no solutions will be found. Yet despite the many barriers they face, young mothers and fathers do succeed. Their drive to overcome system barriers and challenges runs deep and is profoundly humbling as they work to build a safe, healthy, and prosperous life for their families. 

In 2018, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation the eight members of the Young Parent Advisory Committee (YPAC) from Montana, New York, New Mexico, Los Angeles, Bay Area -California, and Mississippi engaged in participatory action research with the goals of: determining key areas of policy and program needs, identifying gaps in current young parent-led advocacy efforts, and determining interest /need for more young parent-led advocacy. YPAC crafted and implemented a research approach that included listening sessions, individual interviews, and an online survey with custodial young parents across the country. A total of 65 racially/ethnically diverse current and former young parents, who had children at age 17 or younger and up to 23 years of age, participated. 

This report outlines this research effort including a strategy to engage young parents, organizational leaders, and advocates in a national organizing and mobilization effort, and the building of the Justice for Young Families National Network.

The high rate of adversity, including sexual violence, experienced by girls and gender-expansive young people by the time they are high school age should be declared a public health emergency or an epidemic – but it remains in the shadows, and each year new generations get caught in this vicious cycle. The goal of this project is to provide data and information to girls and young folx that will support them in making informed choices, understanding their family dynamics (across generations), and getting assistance for themselves and others as needed. Knowledge is power and power is what they need to break generational cycles of adversity, abuse, and trauma.

The ACE graphic novel makes information about ACEs accessible to high school age girls and gender-expansive young people using an approachable, engaging, gender- and culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, and healing-centered format and style. This work was informed by a 2018 convening hosted by National Crittenton for 15 high-school-aged girls from Mississippi, Colorado, Oregon, New York, Kansas, West Virginia and Florida. Participants attended the two-day convening, including brainstorming and workshopping sessions, where they learned about the ACE study and actively contributed to the creation of the ACE graphic novel concept, approach, and storyline. Ebony Morris, who in 2018 was 16 years old, created the artwork for the novel. “You Don’t Know Me” will be released in 2020.