UCSF

Arrested girls in the United States (US) are often diverted from detention through referrals to juvenile specialty courts (e.g., juvenile drug court), community-based diversion programs, or pre-adjudicated probation services. Limited research suggests that sexual and reproductive health needs for diverted, or court-involved, non-incarcerated (CINI) girls are similar to that of their detained counterparts. Despite the US justice system's emphasis on diverting youth from detention, research and programmatic efforts to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes has primarily focused on detained girls. Policy and programming for CINI girls is scant and thus warrants further attention. This report details the immediate sexual and reproductive health needs of CINI girls. We discuss implications of current health care policies and practices for this population and conclude with recommendations for research focused on improving access to sexual and reproductive health care.