Girlhood Film Analysis

In class we watched the video Girlhood. In the movie, we were able to watch two female offenders in the juvenile justice system. We were introduced to Shanae, a young girl, convicted of murder. We also met Megan, who, unlike Shanae, was not at the Waxter Juvenile Facility for murder, but, by comparison, lesser crimes. The movie follows the girl's journeys after they leave Waxter, each for different reasons. The Facility took a genuine interest in Shanae, transferring her to a new institution only when they thought she was prepared. They also went home with her when she was ready, and one staff member was even there when Shanae went to her senior prom. With Megan, the Facility took an entirely different approach, choosing to give up on
her. Waxter's staff released her within days of her trying to escape and we get to watch as she returns to a life on the street involving drugs and drug users, with no intervention from the staff at Waxter. Shanae ends up going to college and Megan ends up going to jail. I think the video is a fair look into the juvenile justice system.
The reality is not every child can be helped, nor do these facilities have the time or resources to help each child that comes through the door. It was evident, through their words and actions, the staff at Waxter believed in Shanae's recovery more than they did Megan's. I feel this is understandable, not right, but understandable, considering the circumstances. Throughout the video, you could see Shanae grow up, learn remorse, and understand the severity of her actions. Megan, on the other hand, continued to blame others for her actions, continuing down the same road. I think Shanae's overcoming her situation is admirable, especially considering all that she has done and all that has been done to her. Megan's outcome is not surprising, considering her background and support system (or lack
thereof). As I watched the movie, the theory that seems easiest to apply to Megan is Bandura's learning theory.
Taken from class notes, "Individuals act the way they do because they have learned to do so through modeling and/or reinforcement." Not only is Megan's mother a drug addict, but her grandmother has a drinking problem. In the video we actually see Megan's mother bring this fact up to Megan's grandmother. Megan's mother has also been in and out of jail throughout Megan's life, modeling this behavior for Megan. We also see that Megan's mother is quick to blame her own mother for her behavior (because the grandmother was around to take care of Megan when she was young). Megan uses drugs and thinks jail is just where people go because that is her reality. Also, for the same reasons, Lemert's labeling theory seems to apply equally as well to Megan. From the class notes, "Labeling a person deviant, then acting toward them according to such a label, results in them accepting and absorbing the deviant role." We see this continually in Megan. She states, more than once, everyone always says she is going to end up just like her mother. We see her follow closely in her mother's footsteps - living life on the street, using drugs, and hanging out with the wrong
people. Shanae is not quite as easy as Megan to pin down to a theory. Throughout the movie we see she has continued support from not only her family, but the staff as well. She has bonds to society and people she respects, who not only care about her, but have a vested interest in her recovery. Her parents are not just trying to get her home; they are genuinely concerned that she gets the treatment she needs, so she does not commit another crime. The textbook (The Female Offender) makes mention of Edwin Sutherland's theory of differential association, "criminal behavior, like other forms of human behavior, is learned in association with close, intimate friends." (19) At the time Shanae committed the murder, she was hanging out with the wrong kind of people. A few months prior to the murder she had been ganged raped by a group of her "friends", which I think contributes to her believing murder is a justifiable answer when attacked on the street. I think the gang rape is THE catalyst in Shanae's life path. It was after the rape in which she began using drugs and alcohol. I think without the rape, there would have been no drug use, and without the drug use, there would have been no murder. However, it was her choice in friends, those which believe underage drinking and gang rape is acceptable behavior, which led Shanae down the road which ultimately led to her committing murder.