Delinquent Girls: Background Characteristics, Risk Factors and Interventions

• NCJ Number: 235839
• Author(s): A. Slotboom; T.M.L. Wong; C. Swier; T.C. van der Broek
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 251 pages
• Sale Source: Boom Juridische Unitgevers (Royal Boom Publishers)
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: English Summary

Annotation

This Dutch study examined the characteristics of delinquent girls in the Netherlands and assessed whether existing intervention programs for delinquent youth as a whole are appropriate for managing delinquent girls.

Abstract

Based on a literature review of delinquency research that focused on the individual, family, peers, and school, the study found that a large number of risk factors for delinquency were the same for both boys and girls. Among these factors are impulsivity, low intelligence, a risky lifestyle, child-rearing problems, delinquent friends, and low bonding to school. Distinctive risk factors for girls were in the individual or family domain and to a lesser extent in the peer and school domains. Psychological problems, early maturity, and a problematic relationship with the mother (little support from the mother or a less responsive mother), delinquency among friends, and problematic relationships with teachers. A primary difference in risk factors for girls compared with boys is heightened sensitivity. Further research is needed to determine whether the differences in sensitivity between delinquent girls and boys justifies the development of separate theories of risk factors for delinquency; however, the literature review and the current empirical study suggest that in addition to current interventions applied to both delinquent girls and boys, girls should receive additional treatment in the areas of mental health, traumatic experiences, home and school relationships, and sexuality. Completely new interventions do not appear to be warranted for delinquent girls. The empirical research examined the nature and extent of girls' crime in the Netherlands as well as the length of these girls' stay in youth custody institutions. In addition, self-reporting data were used to examine the ways in which delinquent girls differ from non-delinquent girls. The number and types of risks for delinquency were compared between the two groups. Extensive tables, figures, and references