Overall, the research indicates that girls who join gangs and commit violent acts were most likely victims themselves before they became perpetrators. Statistics on females in the juvenile and criminal justice system are presented to illustrate that a significant proportion of females involved with the justice system have been victims of physical and sexual abuse, often beginning before the age of 16 years. Research also indicates that girls join gangs for the same reason as boys--to find a place of belonging and to seek protection from other forms of violence in their lives. The analysis concludes that violent girls, while they should be held accountable for their crimes, deserve our help and attention. Female violence will continue as long as communities, schools, families, and the juvenile justice system continue to turn a blind eye to the pervasive victimization of disadvantaged girls. Addendum, references, endnote