Understanding and Responding to Girl’s Delinquency

Understanding and Responding to Girl’s Delinquency Jennifer Hester Columbia College PSYC 260 September 27, 2009 Abstract Few studies have examined which girls become delinquent or why; and little is known about how well girls respond to interventions that have been traditionally designed with boys in mind. According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from 1991 to 2000, arrests of girls increased more, or decreased less, than those of boys for the same offenses. By 2004, girls accounted for 30 percent of juvenile arrests. This apparent trend raises a number of questions, including whether it reflects an increase in girls ' delinquency or changes in society 's responses to girls ' behavior. Who is the delinquent girl, including the patterns and trends of female delinquency? Why is she delinquent? How and why do patterns of girls ' delinquency differ from boys? What is the juvenile justice system 's (and other systems ') response to girls ' delinquency? What are the life consequences for delinquent girls? Understanding and Responding to Girl’s Delinquency A steady rise in crime among women since the 1980s spurred the research, which found a firm link between abuse and criminal behavior. An alarming 75 to 95 percent of girls (age 14 to 18) in the justice system are former victims of abuse. Such abuse often results in a very low sense of self-worth for young women. The majority of crimes young women commit, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), are simple assault and illegal substance abuse. Young women are more likely than young men to commit the status offense of running away and to become involved in prostitution and commercialized vice. The NIJ reported that the average age a young woman becomes involved in prostitution is 14. Female Juvenile Delinquent Programs Why Are Girls’ Needs Different? These shared characteristics of

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