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I am so sorry to hear about your niece! I know this must difficult for both of you and I hope some of the information I provide is useful.

According to HelpGuide.org, a non-profit organization, treatments for cutting are variable. One can try cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, group therapy, family therapy, anti-anxiety medications, and in the most severe cases, an in-patient hospitalization program. Basically, the first steps are acknowledging a problem and learning to talk about it. The site also provides some causes of self-injury.

This is the link: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/self_injury.htm

Another useful site may be SelfInjury.org.uk, a self-injury guidance and network support called First Signs.

This site talks about specific relationships with the person causing self-injury from the perspective of the parent, friend, teacher, doctor, and more and ways to communicate with each particular relationship in mind.

This is the link: http://www.firstsigns.org.uk/others/

Additionally, at KidsHealth.org/teen, another non-profit organization, you can learn about cutting, why people cut themselves, the dangers associated with cutting, how cutting starts, and find more ways to get help.

This link is: http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/feeling_sad/cutting.html#

I know this is a lot of information, but hopefully it provides you avenues to help your niece move away from her infliction, as well as educate others around her.