Youth crime is not only perpetrated by boys: girls can also develop tendencies towards delinquency and violence. When there is a threat of exclusion from a therapeutic residential group as part of a youth welfare measure, creativity is required. Dagmar Kirchmair analyzes the justification strategies of behaviorally troubled girls, shedding light on a field that has been completely overlooked in pedagogy until now. In intensive conversations with difficult-to-educate girls who were on the brink of exclusion from their residential group, she identifies the role of emotions as a common thread in various justifications: feelings guide actions. The experienced lack of affection, security, and material goods leads to helplessness and overwhelm, and the right to express emotions is prioritized over ethical and moral constraints. Furthermore, Dagmar Kirchmair emphasizes that justification strategies can be a valuable key to understanding behaviorally troubled youth.