THEORIES OF CAUSES OF GIRLS' INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM:

• "Ninety-two percent of the juvenile female offenders interviewed in 1998 reported that they had been subjected to some form of emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse" (Juvenile Justice Journal Volume VI, Number 1, Investing in Girls: A 21st Century Strategy, 1999).
  Information from: http://www.ncjrs.org/wgcjs/summary.html

source: http://www.ilppp.virginia.edu/Juvenile_Forensic_Fact_Sheets/FemJuv.html

• Although a direct link between child abuse and juvenile delinquency is not definitive, childhood maltreatment is a significant risk factor for delinquency. Estimates of young women in the juvenile justice system who have been abused range from about 40% to 73%, compared to a national study in which 26 percent of young women reported having been abused.
  Information from: http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/content/GirlsandJuvenileJustice.pdf
• Other characteristics are poor academic performance, substance abuse, and a lack of medical or mental health services, states the report. Researchers have found that these factors are interrelated. Girls typically respond to a crisis with more self-destructive behavior than do boys, so girls may be perceived as less dangerous to society and thus receive less attention, according to the OJJDP report.
  Information from: http://www.psych.org/pnews/00-01-07/girls.html
• Girls generally commit delinquent acts for different reasons than boys do. Studies suggest that most female offenders have been victims of sexual and physical abuse. One study suggests that young women’s delinquent behavior is related to victimization and survival on the streets. There is also evidence that female offenders of all ages are more likely than male offenders to have substance abuse problems.
  Information from: http://www.ndaa-apri.org/pdf/Female%20Offenders.pdf
• The problems encountered by an adolescent female at school causes stress and conflict. If monitoring and supervision are not available to help the adolescent female succeed, the likelihood of violence increases.
  Information from: http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/publications/factsheets/cspv/FS-005.html

Other Resources:

• Girls in the Juvenile Justice System : Introduction
• Rates and the increases in numbers of girls in the juvenile justice system
• Advocacy Groups for Girls’ Rights