| Adolescent females are becoming the fastest growing population amongst juveniles being held in detention and referred to juvenile courts. Unfortunately such increases are linked to a lack of alternative services available for youths during the adjudication process. Upon being arrested, delinquent girls are suffering from a host of health, emotional and social issues for which there is also a lack of programming and detailed research. However, emerging evidence indicates that female delinquency is characterized by a multitude of overlapping problems that distinguish them from male delinquents. Issues include poor mental health, history of child abuse, substance abuse among parents and family members, unstable home environments, poor academic performance, association with other deviant peers, and involvement in high-risk sexual activity. One high risk sexual activity is engaging in prostitution, a behavior often seen with youth who have a history of sexual abuse. Youth often use prostitution as a survival strategy while living on the streets after running away to escape abuse at home. This study aims to examine the extent of prostitution behaviors of adolescent girls in Clark County, Nevada and determine which characteristics can be identified as risk factors or predictors of involvement in prostitution. |
