The State of Girls in Massachusetts Youth Serving Systems 2026

The State of Girls in Massachusetts Youth Serving Systems 2026

While girls make up a smaller proportion of those in the system than boys, there are emerging trends showing increased system involvement and the need for more focused, gender responsive support services. These trends also intersect with longstanding racial disparities, as youth of color remain disproportionately impacted across systems.

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Summary

Girls make up lower percentages of serious offenses, and are less likely to end up in the deep end of the system. Yet girls still represent a significant portion of youth entering the court system. More than 1 in 5 arraignments—the stage at which a court record is created—involve girls. Once girls enter the formal court process, their cases often follow different paths than those of boys.

One of the most striking findings in the FY25 data is the high percentage of girls' cases that are ultimately dismissed. Of the 4,294 delinquency cases dismissed statewide in FY25, 1,211 involved girls. Overall, 78% of girls' delinquency filings were dismissed, compared to 63% of boys' filings and a statewide average dismissal rate of 67%.

These findings raise important questions:

  • Did these cases meet the legal threshold for arrest and filing in the first place?

  • Could some of these cases have been handled outside of the formal court process?

  • Were there missed opportunities to divert girls before arraignment and avoid the creation of a court record altogether?

Massachusetts has a well-established juvenile diversion system with an approximately 80% success rate. Given the large number of girls whose cases ultimately end in dismissal, there is reason to examine whether more girls could be diverted earlier, sparing them the consequences of formal court involvement while still connecting them to appropriate supports.

Girls are experiencing significant challenges related to trauma, child welfare involvement, mental health needs, substance use, and commercial sexual exploitation.

71% of detained girls are involved with DCF. This statistic raises serious concerns about whether trauma-impacted girls are receiving the services and supports they need before their situations escalate into court involvement. It also raises concerns about the criminalization of behaviors often associated with trauma and instability.

Admissions involving girls to the Department of Public Health's Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) have increased by 87% since FY2018. This increase suggests growing substance use concerns among girls and underscores the need for services that are responsive to their specific experiences and needs.

Girls are disproportionately impacted by commercial sexual exploitation in Massachusetts, with Children's Advocacy Centers reporting a 46% increase in annual intakes and 75–80% of survivors identifying as female. These harms fall disproportionately on youth of color—67% of trafficked youth served by survivor-led providers identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latine, or multiracial. 

Girls also account for a disproportionate share of youth seeking intensive mental health services. In FY25, girls represented 61% of approved applications for the Department of Mental Health's Children, Youth, and Family Services programs. This finding reflects significant mental health needs among girls and reinforces the importance of ensuring access to trauma-informed, gender-responsive behavioral health services.

Sources

The State of Girls in Massachusetts Youth Serving Systems 2026