Art Classes
Education
Outdoor Activities
Health and Well-Being Unit
Career Exploration Project
GirlRising

Begun in 2001, GirlRising is a non-residential alternative-to-incarceration program for adolescent female offenders. Girls involved in the justice system often face unique social challenges and pressures. Studies demonstrate that the majority of court-involved girls have histories of physical and sexual abuse and acute mental health needs. In response to these needs and the rise of female involvement in the juvenile justice system, we created GirlRising to promote the healthy social and academic development of our female participants.

Supreme and Family Court Programs
GirlRising works with participants referred from Supreme Court and Family Court in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. Court representatives accept referrals from judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys, and then screen potential participants for program eligibility on a case-by-case basis. Supreme Court participants (ages 16-21 at the time of offense) are referred for a six-month program of intensive supervision and services. Family Court participants (ages 13-15 at the time of offense) are referred for a 9-month program, with an emphasis on educational support. Judges are kept apprised of progress through regular written reports and updates from our court representatives.

Program Overview
Applying the principles of youth development, which emphasize abilities rather than deficiencies, participants work with staff to establish short and long term goals that will allow them to succeed in the program and build upon their new competencies after graduation. GirlRising offers the following services:

· Case management, counseling and art therapy: Case managers select services that are most likely to benefit the participant and help her meet her court obligations. Case managers and art therapists work with girls to address relationship and family issues, experiences with trauma, anger management, and substance abuse, both individually and in groups.

· Education and intellectual development: Girls-only homework help is offered daily along with after-school workshops, which stress critical thinking skills, in science, writing and poetry, current events, civil rights and community organizing.

· Vocational preparedness: CASES offers computer instruction, resume writing, job search exercises, and the Career Exploration Project, a job readiness program that includes paid internships, and the Youth Enterprise Project, a T-shirt and greeting card business run by participants.

· Health and well being: Participant-responsive services include peer-led reproductive health education, visits from a range of medical professionals, and workshops on domestic violence and physical and sexual abuse, in a girls-only space to encourage young women to take a proactive role in their physical and sexual health.

· Enrichment workshops: In addition to the structured services offered to participants, GirlRising has a series of elective classes that resulted, in part, from participant input. These girls-only classes include dance, weekly open mic sessions, and video, doll-making and mask-making projects. Young women also take part in periodic weekend retreats, which build community, trust and a sense of belonging among participants.