NCJ Number
25313
Journal
Adolescence Volume: 10 Issue: 37 Dated: (SPRING 1975) Pages: 83-91
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER INCLUDES A LITERATURE REVIEW ON DIFFERENCES IN DELINQUENCY PATTERNS FOR MALES AND FEMALES AND RESULTS OF A SELF-REPORT STUDY OF DELINQUENCY SHOWING SMALLER MALEFEMALE DELINQUENCY DIFFERENCES THAN EXPECTED.
Abstract
A SAMPLE OF STUDENTS FROM THE 11TH AND 12TH GRADES OF THREE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS WAS GATHERED. A SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ADMINISTERED TO THESE STUDENTS BY TEACHERS, AND CLASSES IN DIFFERENT ACADEMIC TRACTS WERE SELECTED TO TAKE PART, TO ASSURE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION. THE SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINED INFORMATION ON THE STUDENTS' SOCIAL BACKGROUND, RACE, SEX, FATHER'S OCCUPATION, ACCEPTANCE OF VALUES, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. A DELINQUENCY CHECKLIST TAKEN FROM SHORT AND NYE (1958) WAS UTILIZED, WITH SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LOCAL CONDITIONS AND CURRENTLY PREVALENT AREAS OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO PLACE A CHECKMARK BESIDE THE TYPES OF BEHAVIOR IN WHICH THEY HAD ENGAGED AT LEAST ONCE. THE DISTRIBUTIONS OF SELF-REPORTED ILLEGAL ACTS COMMITTED BY JUVENILES TEND TO SUPPORT MANY OF THE TRADITIONAL ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR OF MALES AND FEMALES. THE MORE AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE MALE IS EVIDENCED BY THE HIGH PERCENTAGES OF MALES INVOLVED IN BREAKING INTO BUILDINGS, FIST FIGHTS, DESTROYING PROPERTY, LARCENY OF ALL TYPES, AND JOYRIDING. BOYS' INVOLVEMENT IN DELINQUENT ACTIVITY AS AN EFFORT TO PROVE MASCULINITY IS ALSO APPARENT IN THE HIGH PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHO REPORTED ENGAGING IN GAMBLING AND PREMARITAL SEX RELATIONS. HOWEVER, ON SEVERAL ITEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN POSTULATED AS BEING TYPICALLY FEMALE DELINQUENCIES MALE-FEMALE DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND TO BE SLIGHT. THERE WAS ONLY A SIX PER CENT DIFFERENCE IN THE PROPORTION OF BOYS AND GIRLS WHO HAD RUN AWAY FROM HOME, AND A THREE PER CENT DIFFERENCE IN SEX DISTRIBUTIONS ON DEFYING PARENTAL AUTHORITY. DISTRIBUTIONS ON SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS, WHICH TEND TO REFLECT A TEEN AGE CULTURE ORIENTATION-DRINKING, DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE OR PERMIT, DRUG USE, AND SKIPPING SCHOOL, WERE ABOUT EQUAL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. SEVERAL ACTS, INCLUDING HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS, SETTING FIRES, AND USE OF FORCE TO GET MONEY, WERE NOT PARTICIPATED IN WIDELY BY EITHER MALES OR FEMALES. FOR JUVENILE STATUS OFFENSES A VERY SMALL DIFFERENCE WAS NOTED IN THE MEAN NUMBER OF TYPES COMMITTED BY MALES (3.5) AND FEMALES (3.2). THIS AGAIN SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DELINQUENCIES OF BOYS AND GIRLS, PARTICULARLY FOR LESS SERIOUS OFFENSES, ARE BECOMING QUITE SIMILAR. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)