NCJ Number
69140
Journal
Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1980) Pages: 62-85
Date Published
1980
Length
24 pages
Annotation
NATIONAL ARREST STATISTICS COMBINED WITH JUVENILE COURT, SELF-REPORT, AND FIELD OBSERVATIONAL DATA ARE USED TO EVALUATE CURRENT CONCEPTIONS OF THE CHANGING NATURE OF FEMALE DELINQUENCY.
Abstract
THE MAJOR FINDINGS SHOW THAT ARREST DATA AND STUDIES OF JUVENILE GANGS INDICATE LITTLE INCREASE IN FEMALE VIOLENCE OR GANG-RELATED DELINQUENCIES. GENERALLY, FEMALES ARE NOT CATCHING UP WITH MALES IN THE COMMISSION OF VIOLENT, MASCULINE, OR SERIOUS CRIMES. ALSO, ARREST STATISTICS OF THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS SHOW RISING LEVELS OF FEMALE DELINQUENCY MAINLY IN THE CATEGORIES OF LARCENY, RUNAWAYS, AND LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS. GAINS IN OTHER OFFENSE CATEGORIES ARE SMALL AND HAVE LEVELED OFF, WHICH SUGGEST THAT EARLIER GAINS WERE PARTLY A STATISTICAL ARTIFACT OF RISING ARREST RATES FOR BOTH SEXES AND LOWER BASE RATES FOR FEMALES THAN FOR MALES. JUVENILE COURT STATISTICS AND SELF-REPORT STUDIES REVEAL A SIMILAR PATTERN OF FEMALE DELINQUENCY WITH GAINS IN MARIHUANA USE AND DRINKING. HOWEVER, NOTWITHSTANDING THESE GAINS, THE SELF-REPORT DATA SHOW GENERALLY THAT THE SEX DIFFERENTIAL IN DELINQUENCY HAS REMAINED STABLE FROM 1970 TO 1980. WHEN ARREST TRENDS OF ADOLESCENT FEMALES ARE COMPARED TO THOSE OF ADULT WOMEN, ADOLESCENT FEMALES MADE SUBSTANTIAL GAINS IN THE CATEGORIES OF LARCENY, LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS, AND RUNAWAYS WHILE THEIR ADULT COUNTERPARTS MADE GAINS IN LARCENY AND FRAUD. ADDITIONALLY, ADOLESCENT FEMALES MADE SMALL GAINS IN A LARGER NUMBER OF OFFENSE CATEGORIES THAN DID ADULT FEMALES. AS COHORTS OF FEMALES MOVE FROM ADOLESCENCE TO ADULTHOOD, SOME CONTINUED INCREASE IN ARRESTS OF ADULT FEMALES FOR LARCENY SHOULD BE EXPECTED. FURTHERMORE, NOTHING IN THESE CHANGES SUGGESTS NEW ROLE BEHAVIORS FOR EITHER YOUNG OR OLD FEMALES. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. APPROXIMATELY 45 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)