NCJ Number
59619
Date Published
1977
Length
38 pages
Annotation
GENERAL EXPLANATIONS OF FEMALE CONFORMITY, PERSPECTIVES ON FEMALE DELINQUENCY IN AUSTRALIA, AND THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF DELINQUENT FEMALES ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PUBLIC DISTINTEREST IN FEMALE DELINQUENCY IN AUSTRALIA EXISTS BECAUSE THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF FEMALE DELINQUENCY (I.E., SHOPLIFTING) POSE ONLY MINOR THREATS TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY. IMPROVED METHODS OF DEALING WITH DELINQUENT GIRLS HAVE NOT BEEN APPLIED TO THE SAME DEGREE AS IN OTHER AREAS OF DEVIANCE WHERE PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN A MAJOR PRIORITY. RECENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN INCREASING ACADEMIC INTEREST IN BOTH FEMALE THE COURTS'. EXPLANATIONS FOR FEMALE CONFORMITY TO LEGAL NORMS IN COMPARISON TO THAT OF THE MALE ARE EXAMINED FROM A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE. ALL OF THE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE LOW RATE OF FEMALE CRIME EXHIBIT A THEORETICAL LIMITATION, IN THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN WITHING A NARROW PERSPECTIVE OF FEMALE DEVIANCE. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A DIFFERENT CONTINUUM OF BEHAVIORS THAT MEASURE FEMALE CONFORMITY AND DEVIANCE IN TERMS OF THE FEMALE SEX ROLE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE. SOCIALIZATION FACTORS UNIQUELY INFLUENCING FEMALES ARE EXAMINED THROUGH A DISCUSSION OF VARIOUS THEORIES REGARDING THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF DELINQUENT GIRLS. FEMALE DELINQUENCY HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN PERCEIVED AS BEHAVIOR, PRIMARILY SEXUAL, WHICH DEVIATES FROM THE MORMATIVE SOCIAL ROLE PRESCRIBED FOR FEMALES. SINCE VERY LITTLE PUBLISHED DATA EXIST ON THE FEMALE DELINQUENT IN AUSTRALIA, AN ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES IN QUEENSLAND IS PRESENTED TO DETERMINE THE CHARACTER AND TRENDS OF FEMALE DELINQUENCY OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES. THE CONSIDERABLE INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS OF FEMALE OFFENDERS OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS SUGGESTS A TREND AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS OF OF THE FEMALE, ALTHOUGH THE MALE JUVENILE OFFENDER STILL RETAINS HIS SUPERIORITY IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. THE COURTS' PATTERN OF HANDLING FEMALE OFFENDERS INDICATES, HOWEVER, THAT THEY ARE STILL SUBJECT TO THE TRADITIONAL SOCIAL NORMS INVOLVING PARENTAL CONTROL AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOR. THE PATTERN OF FEMALE OFFENSES OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES HAS SHOWN A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE VARIETY OF OFFENSES FOR WHICH GIRLS HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE COURT. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (RCB) DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (RCB)