Essay On Juvenile Offender

Crime is often associated with a very particular cliché, as it seems to be committed in the heart of impoverished minority communities. However, we can see this is not the reality of the situation as crime can be seen across all demographics, even amongst juveniles. Age and sex, rather than class and race better represent the distinction between a criminal and noncriminal. (Agnew 2012). Defined differently according to the state, a juvenile is an individual who is under the age of 16 or 17 years old and therefore when a minor violates criminal law they are labeled a juvenile delinquent. There are many social institutions such as media that play into the production and reproduction of criminality and what it means to be a juvenile offender. However, these stereotypes are frequently misleading as they paint a very different image without a clear understanding, “for example, girls accounted for 21 percent of simple assault arrests in 1980 versus 34 percent in 2008. Steffensmeier et al. note that such arrest data have led some researchers and people in the news media to conclude that girls really are becoming more violent.” (Agnew 2012: 80). This paper will look at female juvenile offending, as there are differences when compared to their male counterpart, while assessing explanations as to why there is a difference. While, also looking into the juvenile justice system and its role in the treatment of female juvenile offenders. Concluding with what can be done and what are some protective factors for at risk girls. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the difference gender makes in violent juvenile offending.
Mapping The Difference
“Gender Paradox”
Curiously, female juvenile offending is on the rise despite historically making up ...

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...far less likely to commit crimes and stray from success. With the presence of a caring adult or parent, this serves as a critical protective factor towards children. Success in school and academics is important due to the fact that if a child is doing well in school, the path they have set ahead of them academically is clear and seems unobstructed of any speed bumps to their future success, promoting the likelihood of continuing educationally. A healthy developmental perspective serves as a reminder to the adolescents about not participating in delinquent behavior, more specifically; adults prevent children from committing crimes or participating in negative activities. And religiosity serves to protect against delinquent behavior, however this only serves to prevent minor offenses and not more major crimes that can severely set a child back in his/her life course.