NCJ Number
84708
Date Published
1981
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The nature and extent of juvenile delinquency among females in Montreal, Quebec, was examined by means of self-report studies of adolescents in a general population sample and of residents of institutions for youths.
Abstract
The research also sought to determine whether social agencies' tendency to react more severely towards females than towards males was due to changing attitudes toward females or to changes in the nature and extent of delinquent behavior among females. The general sample was completed by 3,070 youths aged 12 to 16 who were living in Montreal, Canada in 1974. Data from 367 of the girls and 458 of the boys who completed the questionnaire again in 1976 were also examined. The questionnaire gathered information on 39 acts ranging from status offenses to criminal offenses. A total of 88.4 percent of the girls were involved in at least one delinquent act during the previous 12 months, and 65.2 percent had committed three or more acts. Only 3.5 percent of the boys reported that they had not committed delinquent acts. The boys also engaged in more delinquent acts than did the girls. Almost 30 percent of the girls and almost 10 percent of the boys reported not committing any criminal acts. Girls were less involved in petty theft, serious theft, vandalism, and aggressive behavior than were boys. Similar proportions of boys and girls were involved in selling or using drugs. Criminal acts declined and status offenses increased over the 2-year period. Data from 130 institutionalized girls showed that they were more heavily involved in criminal acts than were the schoolgirls, although status offenses were more common than criminal offenses for both groups. Thus, girls' treatment is often biased, and the nature and seriousness of female delinquency are well below that of males. Further research is recommended. Tables, diagrams, footnotes, and 33 references are given.