Female Delinquency

By the Numbers (Bristow , nd

1 of every 4 juvenile offenders are females

350 , 000 - juvenile girls arrested in 1989

723 ,000 - juvenile girls arrested in 1996

106 - increase in cases between 1989 and 1996

11 - juvenile arrests in 1960 involving females

28 - juvenile arrests in 2000 involving females

12 - portion of the general population who are female juveniles

50 - female juvenile offenders who are members of the ethnic minority

Preventive Steps (Bristow , nd

Organize girl communities where girls can express themselves

Encourage girls to speak out and follow

their interests

Refrain from being too authoritative

Celebrate girl-achievers

Know and study the things that bother girls , and foster and discuss solutions for them

Encourage girls to support each other and understand true and accurate meaning of togetherness and loyalty

Reference

Bristow , M . nd . Female delinquency :An emerging challenge in America Retrieved October 13 , 2007 , from http /www .tapartnership .org /specials

Female_Delinquency .asp

Mentoring Tips

for

Female Juvenile Delinquency

US and Juvenile Delinquency Today

When juvenile delinquency is the question , boys are often always the answer . Besides , boys are more prone to committing crimes and getting involved in untoward and freak incidences , unlike girls . However , girls can be fragile to juvenile delinquency just the same (Bristow , nd

From shoplifting , drug abuse , and stealing , to more serious crimes such as robbery and murder , girls are equally faced with the possibility of committing them and being charged

To date , there is an alarming increase in the number of arrests done to young girls who go astray . From 1960 to 2000 , the percentage of girls committing offenses to the law has increased by 17 (Bristow , nd

Knowing them (Bristow , nd

While it will be difficult to spot them by mere sight , statistics show that there are archetypal characteristic common to them

Female juvenile offenders are often members of the ethnic minority

They are often victims of abuse , whether physical , sexual , or emotional

They are physically and mentally unattended

They abuse drugs or alcohol

They are poor performers in school

They are most likely dropouts from high school

They have been arrested for at least one status offense such as running away or violating curfew ordinances

Most are between 14 and 16 , come from broken or segmented families facing poverty , and have negative outlook in life

Key Mentoring Concepts

Gender-specific programs . Girls have different needs as compared to boys and they need to be answered accordingly

Skills training . Offenders should be given outlets and alternative activities

Career opportunities . More than the training , girls should have a place where the skills can be used to earn

Family and community support . Mentors should seek the help of the offenders ' immediate environment

Specifics . Mentors should know exactly what the problems and solutions are...