Healthcare for girls in L.A. County’s juvenile justice system

Girls at Camp Scudder sit in their shared dorm space. Camp director Pauline Starks says that many of the girls, who spend between three and 12 months there, have a history of trauma or victimization.   (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

Lunchtime at Camp Scudder. The girls detained there are in the juvenile justice system because of crimes such as robbery, assault, prostitution, vandalism and truancy.   (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

A girl writes in her journal on her bed at Camp Scudder. “Our girls come to us with a lot of emotional issues, a lot of medical issues,” said the camp’s director. The additional screening “gives us a well-rounded picture of the girls and what we need to address immediately.”   (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

New arrivals peep around the door at Camp Scudder. Some of the girls’ health problems are linked to poverty. One said she was thin because her family couldn’t afford enough food.   (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

A new arrival at Camp Scudder has her handcuffs removed. Pregnancy is among the most common issues with girls entering juvenile facilities nationwide.  (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

Girls walk in single file to their shared quarters at Camp Scudder. Research shows that many of their problems could be addressed if officials simply asked the right questions.   (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

A probation officer helps a new arrival at Camp Scudder fill out paperwork. Most detention center screeners are not health professionals, and the questions are not designed for girls. Juvenile justice centers also don’t usually request medical records because they know they have the youths for a short time.  (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)