Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB)

The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB) Initiative was established in 1992 in partnership with the National Institute of Justice. The goals of GSBB are to lessen the impact of parental separation due to incarceration, to foster the personal and social development of girls and their mothers, and to provide girls with the opportunity to participate with their parents in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Parents and their daughters take an active leadership role in the planning and implementation of Girl Scout program activities and also participate in facilitated discussions about family life, conflict resolution, and the prevention of violence and drug abuse. After release, parents and daughters can continue to participate in troop meetings in their communities, making Girl Scouting a consistent presence in their lives.

Did you know?

• From 1995 to 2005, the number of women in prison nationwide increased by 57%.*
• Approximately 75% of incarcerated women are mothers, and two-thirds have children under 18.*
• Girls under the age of 18 have become the fastest growing segment of the juvenile justice population, despite the overall drop in juvenile crime**

Become a GSBB volunteer!

Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains will provide a majority of the training needed to work within the prison and with the girls and will arrange for a secondary prison training to physically go into the prison. We offer mileage reimbursement. Please keep in mind that all volunteers are required to complete:

• Application, interview, background check, references
• Become a registered member of GSUSA
• Complete position-specific training

Contact Carrie Green for more information or to submit an application.