African American girls are the fastest growing segment of the juvenile justice system

A recent report by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) shows that while males still dominate the justice system, the caseload for girls has grown significantly — from 20% of all juvenile arrests in 1980 to 30% in 2009. Non-white girls make up nearly two-thirds of the female juvenile justice population. In fact, according OJJDP research, the average girl in the system is between 15 to 16 years old; lives in an urban environment with one parent and is a non-white girl.