NCJ Number
207105
Date Published
June 2003
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This Canadian study examined factors associated with delinquent behavior, specifically whether there are sex differences in identified factors (i.e. school commitment and victimization) that have a strong association with delinquency.
Abstract
Previous studies have shown persistent differences in the patterns, duration, and intensity of offending among young males and females. In order to assess the needs of these youth, it is necessary to understand the sex differences in delinquent and offending behavior. This Canadian study examined patterns of self-reported delinquent behavior and associated risk and protective factors in a national household sample of males and females aged 12 to 15 years. In addition, the study assessed the questions of: (1) do males and females differ in the frequency or severity of self-reported delinquency and (2) are there factors that may explain differences in male and female delinquency patterns? Based on previous research, these questions were assessed separately for violent and property-related delinquency. Data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) which follows the development of Canadian children over time. Results of the study indicate: (1) female youth report lower rates of delinquency than do males for all property-related and violent acts; (2) on average, males report lower levels of commitment to school and higher levels of victimization; and (3) the lowest levels of school commitment and the highest levels of victimization increased the statistical chances of engaging in delinquency more for females than for males. The results indicate a relationship between delinquent behavior and both low school commitment and previous experiences of victimization for males and females. Study limitations are presented and discussed. References