Issues in gynecologic care for adolescent girls in the juvenile justice system.

Incarcerated girls represent a captive audience, providing health care providers working in the juvenile justice system with a unique opportunity to intervene in this difficult to-reach population. Health care providers should promote and encourage healthy lifestyles with the aim of lowering their risk-taking behaviors, promote contraception and screen and treat sexually transmitted infections. For many delinquent girls this encounter represents their first contact with the medical care system as independent young women.It is important to encourage these girls to have a medical home and upon discharge from the facility, it is important to guarantee appropriate follow-up.