Getting Started
Homework
Before being able to move forward in the workshop, it is essential for all participants to have some form of outlook on the Juvenile Justice System and some of the individuals who are affected, including the juvenile, their family, case workers, and more. Not only will this prepare individuals for what they're about to read about, but it will provide them with real-world scenarios that can help them better understand cause and effect.
For your participants' homework, the documentary Girlhood can be utilized as an inside look at the lives of two girls from Baltimore who found themselves involved in the Juvenile Justice System. Girlhood provides participants with insight on some of the processes youth and their families go through in the justice system, as well as the familial and individual strains that may be a significant factor in the decisions these young girls make throughout their adolescence. While it is important to recognize that their experiences are not the same as every else's, this is a rare glimpse into some of the obstacles and struggles young juveniles may face in their daily life.
Activity Break #1
Based on your participants' homework experience, discuss the things that might have been observed and questioned during the assignment in a group-based discussion. Allow those who have questions to ask them, and if anyone has additional thoughts, comments, concerns, or personal experiences that they believe relates to the documentary, encourage them to share.
Note: You can either choose to present this discussion in a survey format and then openly discuss your answers in the group setting, or you can simply ask the questions aloud.
