The National Girls Institute (NGI) is a federally-funded partnership between the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). NGI is a research-based training and resource clearinghouse designed to advance understanding of girls’ issues and improve program and system responses to girls in the juvenile justice system. NGI activities include conducting a national assessment of training and technical assistance needs; developing standards of care; providing access to relevant resources; and providing gender-responsive training and technical assistance. NGI provides direction for advancing the application of research and information to practice to improve national, state, and local responses to girls, and assists agencies to improve capacity by providing training and technical assistance along the entire continuum of services to better meet the needs of girls and staff who work with them.
About NCCD: The National Council on Crime and Delinquency promotes just and equitable social systems for individuals, families, and communities through research, public policy, and practice. For more information, visit NCCD’s website.
About the NCCD Center for Girls and Young Women: The NCCD Center for Girls and Young Women conducts research and provides technical assistance and training to improve outcomes for girls and young women in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
The center, which began in 2008, builds on the leading research and evaluation work of NCCD over the last decade. The center is recognized nationally for its ability to conduct and translate research into effective advocacy, assessment services, staff training, and technical assistance. Its work seeks to address the multiple issues that contribute to fast-tracking girls into the juvenile justice system. These issues include untreated victimization/mental health issues, symptomatic behavior of girls, staff behavior, and system issues.
The center’s current experience translates research to practice and extends to training curricula and tools to respond to the needs of stakeholders. Our work at the federal, state, and local levels, and with organizations serving girls, is designed to help practitioners and policymakers become successful change agents. The center publishes fact sheets and position papers on critical issues facing justice-involved girls in an effort to disseminate information to a wide audience and elevate awareness of these issues. The center is also committed to working with colleges and universities to mobilize students and equip the next generation of juvenile justice and child welfare workers with practical information, experience, and tools. For more information on the Center, visit NCCD’s website.
About the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: OJJDP provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families. For more information, visit the OJJDP website.