Incarceration Risk among Girls with Behavior Disorders: An International Perspective

It is speculated that undiagnosed emotional and behavioral disorders are a contributing factor to the increasing number of incarcerated girls globally. Untreated, these disorders often lead to more severe maladaptive behaviors and contact with law enforcement. This article provides information available in Brazil, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, and the United States about incarcerated girls. Existing education laws are examined for purposes of establishing what special education provisions exist in each country that may be used to identify girls whose maladaptive behavior might benefit from early school-based interventions for their misconduct.