Introduction
Juvenile females commit crimes for various reasons caused by external and or internal negative factors. Adolescent female offenders involved with crimes, have been influenced by peer dynamics, neighborhood effects and high risk behaviors to seek protection for themselves such as e.g. female gangs.
Empirical research from secondary samples will explain the differences of female and male offenders. These differences will attempt to answer the question of why adolescent female crimes have increased over the past years. Female offenders tend to have difficulties with their emotional problems that cause depression, thoughts of suicide, destructive behaviors and substance abuse that lead to criminal activity. Peer pressure is assumed to be the biggest influential decision for many adolescents.
Peer Dynamics
Adolescent females separate themselves from males with their stereotype of being the more intelligent gender in regards to using their thoughts before acting out their emotions; unlike the typical teenage males whom act first then think afterwards. The statement proves to be true, except no on has ever been concerned with criminal activity caused by females. Criminologists whom study adolescent female crimes have made the assumption that teenage girls who have fewer associations with delinquent peers are going to be involved with little to no criminal activities; this is vice versa for those adolescent females who do associate themselves with delinquent peers (CITATION).
The majority of adolescent males and females, whom are delinquent, were first introduced to delinquent crimes by their romantic partners. Differences of being involved or getting involved for females is their attraction to males who commit crimes or act like the stereotypical tough guy. As males get involved with crimes by their associations and peer dynamics. Delinquent crimes are becoming a problematic issue for a variety of neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Effects
From the perspective of criminologists of adolescent female delinquency, criminal behaviors have been linked to environmental situations like neighborhood effects. Past research on case studies such as the Black and White video (CITATION), with the comparison of illicit drugs between urban neighborhoods and ghetto streets, studies have shown a significant rise in crime within poverty borders; only without encompassing the statistics of gender.
Related criminal behaviors that include a ratio of females to males show a structural disadvantage that affect both adolescents living in neighborhoods considered to be lower-class. In general, females are capable of criminal activity, but the difference is that females are less exposed to community violence. With being less exposed to serious offenses occurring in the community, this could be the logical explanation of having less female deinlinquents and more delinquent males.
In retrospect what the researchers found within their case studies of neighborhoods to be encompassed with the studies of female delinquency, are three crucial disadvantages. These disadvantages of neighborhood effects state that adolescent females have a tendency to stay home more often than males. Mothers and fathers are more protective of their daughters than sons. Females solve their problems by avoiding others and acting out destructive behaviors such as using illicit drugs, frequent sex and showing an increase of high risk behaviors (CITATION).
Risk Factors
Adolescent females whom are associated with delinquent crimes either by peer dynamics, neighborhood effects or directly themselves are at risk of potential negative factors. These high risk acts cause many adolescent females to experience trauma, substance abuse, increase sexual behaviors, which could lead to some type of mental and or physical health problems. With that said, the following statistics will provide a clearer explanation of female delinquency.
According to the journal of adolescent girls in the juvenile justice system, they report that approximately 84% of adolescent females whom have spent time in a detention center have experienced a continuous lifetime of trauma; while only 65% of adolescent females whom have been incarcerated have some type of post traumatic stress disorder or properly referred to as (PTSD). In regards of substance abuse and delinquent crimes it may be difficult to assume that adolescents, whom are sentenced to juvenile correctional facilities, may have been involved with some type of illicit drugs which would then be the primary cause and effect of such crimes.
Statistics have shown an increase of female delinquency, some internal factors could be depression, anxiety and more mental and physical health problems. Delinquent females whom seem to be romantically involved with their partner in crime will increase their own sexual behaviors (CITATION).
Early sexual behaviors of delinquent females lead to frequent sexual abuse and choosing older males for their intimacy purposes. The approach of safe sex and the boring lecture of using a condom to prevent sexual transmitted diseases are used less often and the female allows the male to enjoy their sexual needs and then frets’ about the precarious sexual diseases afterwards (CITATION). Continuing with the empirical research of adolescent females and the causes of criminal behaviors, let’s now take a look at the case studies that show the differences between adolescent males and females criminal behaviors.
Differences of Males and Females
What are the differences of adolescent females and males in the juvenile system? Adolescent females are more likely to be involved with criminal acts when experiencing family dysfunction, sexual abuse, mental and or physical health problems, academic deficiencies and poor judgment of peer dynamics. Adolescent females who experience one or more of these problems on a chronic basis and do not seek assistance begin developmental factors of concerned criminal behaviors.
Early signs of female delinquents could be sexual maturity at an earlier age, increased use of alcohol and drugs that cause internal and external mood disorders. These mood disorders take a severe effect on depression that causes suicidal thoughts with destructive behaviors. These self destructive behaviors are poor self-esteem, eating disorders such as anorexia and self inflicting pain (CITATION). Criminologists have used their case studies in addition to research the answers to the sudden increase of adolescent female crimes.
Case Studies
One specific case study that includes seven adolescent males and three adolescent females found that adolescent males who have been mandated to a residential substance abuse treatment program were found to be serving time in a juvenile correctional facility for serious violent offenses and that adolescent females were more likely to use illicit drugs more frequently than males. , found that their female counterparts were more likely to use illicit drugs more frequently than males (CITATION).
An explanation for adolescent females to use illicit drugs could be to forget their family dysfunction, cover their emotions to be tough like their male peers, forget about their sexual abuse and or wanting to be under the influence while being forced to commit criminal acts (CITATION).
A general case study of adolescent juveniles between the ages of 14 and 17, found that females had used methamphetamines, cocaine or ice; while males admitted to using marijuana. In conclusion to these findings, the quantitative samples have proven that adolescent females are more likely to be involved with delinquent crimes by association of precarious illicit substances and males are likely to commit serious offenses. The tendency of males to commit serious offenses is based on the impulsive and irrational behaviors. The Department of Justice has now recognized the need to provide more treatment programs for both male and female delinquents (CITATION).
Statistics
Female adolescent offenders have increased their interest of seeking treatment by wanting to be more involved with their treatment plan, goals, and dreams. Statistical data shows that between the years of 1987 and 1996, juvenile females have been arrested at a rate of 76% in comparison to 46%. The years of 1981 and 1997, female adolescents of violent crimes has reached 103% compared to males whom only have 27%. Many people that are unaware of the increased crime rates of female delinquency are going to first think that this percentage is preposterous when in reality is true but may seem unprecedented. Criminologists conducting their research on juvenile females are attempting to answer the questions of why there is such a drastic increase of female delinquency (CITATION).
Concluding research
Research suggests that the increase of adolescent female crimes involve a history of sexual abuse either by incest or their intimate partners. From the perspective of the trait theory, it could be possible that the mother is too young and immature to take on the responsibilities of parenting. Therefore adolescent females could adapt to the criminology theory of differential association of learned behaviors or differential identification which is learned behaviors through movies, television shows, images and how others behave. In summary of the suggested research, adolescent females are easily emotionally disturbed with peer dynamics, family dysfunction and sexual and or physical abuse that can best explain the reasoning for such an increase of adolescent female delinquency (CITATION).
Conclusion
To conclude adolescent delinquency of males and females is primarily answered by the rational choice and general strain theory. According to Gilligan, the rational choice of adolescent females whom are delinquent are stereotypically supposed to have distinct “feminine” characteristics, but those females that are delinquent have proven these assumptions to be false. From the empirical research of Agnew and the strain theory with the applied theory of rational choice, female delinquency is becoming more of a problem to society and families. As the case studies have proven the rise of adolescent female crimes, statistical data supports the assumption that female delinquents are involved with illicit drugs and alcohol, sexual and or physical abuse by family dysfunctions, neighborhood effects and peer dynamics. To deter adolescent female delinquency harsher crimes need to be implemented, while more treatment opportunities need to be provided to female offenders to prevent further criminal behaviors caused by emotional disturbances such as depression, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse.
