NCJ Number
168595
Date Published
1997
Length
51 pages
Annotation
The impact of a juvenile offender's gender on sentencing in children's courts in New South Wales, Australia was examined using data from decisions on 182 male and 182 female juveniles during 1995.
Abstract
Each pair was matched by type of offense, age, plea, number of counts, criminal history, bail status, court, and type of case. Results revealed no significant gender-based differences in the type or amount of penalty imposed. Six of the seven juveniles who received control orders were males. Similar numbers of male and female juvenile offenders were fined. Convictions were recorded in 28 percent of the cases, including 33.5 percent of the males and 22.5 percent of the females. Male juvenile offenders were more likely than females to have a principal or co-principal role in the offense, whereas female juvenile offenders were more likely to have only an assisting role, particularly with vehicle theft. Background reports were requested in one-fifth of cases and were requested more often for male offenders than for female offenders. Figures, appended methodological information and additional results, and 26 references