Girl Scouts Beyond Bard, or Troop 1500, is a Girl Scout troop
designed specifically for girls whose mothers are currently or were
previously incarcerated. When the bond between mother and daughter is
interrupted – or in some cases severed – by incarceration, the damage
can be devastating and life-altering. So much is uncertain in the
lives of girls who mothers are incarcerated, but we provide our girls
with safe places, resources, and support to help them recognize the
power they possess.
Through bimonthly troop meetings, monthly prison visits, individual
mentoring with positive female role models, individual and group
therapy, and assistance with family and community reunification, Girl
Scouts Beyond Bars strives to reduce the trauma suffered as a result
of separation and seeks to lessen the likelihood of girls
participating in high-risk behaviors and/or entering the juvenile
justice system. The program works to break the cycle of
intergenerational criminality and facilitate a healthy bond between
mother and daughter. In the 17-year history of Troop 1500, none of the
participating girls have entered into the juvenile justice system.