Bringing Scouting to Prison: Programs and Challenges

Abstract

Since 1992, several Girl Scout troops have been meeting within women's corrections facilities. Known as the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB) programs, they took their lead from the first program, established in Maryland. Incarcerated mothers and their daughters participate as troop members, enjoying what are enhanced visitation programs as well as facility-based Girl Scout programs. This article reports results of a survey of nine GSBB programs. Specific topics of interest are the extent to which the Maryland model has been replicated in the other sites, the variations on the Maryland theme found in the other sites, and the perceptions of program leaders regarding the challenges of developing and running Girl Scout programs in prisons.