NCJ Number
153380
Date Published
1995
Length
90 pages
Annotation
As per provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquent Prevention Amendments of 1992, the U.S. General Accounting Office studied gender-bias issues in State juvenile justice systems' handling of status offenders.
Abstract
The specific objectives of the study were to compare outcome of the intake decisions and frequency and outcomes of detentions, adjudications, and out-of-home placements of female and male status offenders, and to compare the availability of facilities and services for female and male status offenders in selected jurisdictions. The results showed that, of the 500,620 status offense cases petitioned to juvenile courts in the U.S. between 1986 and 1991, 60 percent involved males and 40 percent involved females. Females and males had similar probabilities of being detained, adjudicated, or placed for about 60 percent of the offense categories. Females were more likely to run away than males, while males were more often involved in liquor-related offenses. In comparing outcomes for female and male status offenders in relationship to gender bias, each of 25 models was considered and accounted for case characteristics; there was no evidence of gender bias in 19 cases and some evidence in six cases. At the 15 juvenile facilities visited, researchers found little gender-based differences in terms of the availability of counseling, educational, and medical services. Survey responses from probation officers did not indicate any gender-bias concerns. 1 figure, 16 tables and 6 appendixes