Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries (January 11 - 14, 2007)

Purpose: Popular media and official statistics (e.g., arrest data) suggest that girls' delinquency (especially violence and drug use) has been increasing over time, thus indicating a convergence with that of boys. Girls of color, in particular, are disproportionately represented in media portrayals and arrest statistics. The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the extent to which girls' self-reported delinquency is consistent with the convergence hypothesis suggested by media reports and arrests. Specifically, we examine patterns and trends of delinquency among America's increasingly racially and ethnically diverse population. Our analyses reflect this diversity by comparing girls and boys overall as well as by racial/ethnic group, including African Americans, Asian Americans, American Indians, Latinos, and Whites.

Methods: The data for this paper are drawn from the Monitoring the Future Study, a large nationally representative sample of 8th, 10th and 12th graders from the 48 contiguous states. A total of 39,878 8th grade girls, 37,283 8th grade boys, 37,643 10th grade girls, 35,896 10th grade boys, 34,004 12th grade girls, and 27,744 12th grade boys took part in the study in the most recent data period. The data were collected through self-administered, machine-readable questionnaires during a normal class period. The delinquency indicators include measures of substance use, property crimes and violence. Analyses are descriptive and include current prevalence and trends over time from 1976 to 2005. We compare boys and girls overall and by racial/ethnic group.

Results: Consistent with the findings of past research, the data suggest that girls are, on average, less likely than boys to engage in delinquent behaviors. Exceptions include alcohol and cigarette use and group fighting among 8th graders, which girls are as or more likely than boys to report. The data further suggest that the gender gap in the prevalence of delinquency exists across racial and ethnic groups. Contrary to the convergence hypothesis, the data reveal that girls have not become significantly more delinquent over the past thirty years. In fact, in the few instances in which there has been a convergence in girls' and boys' delinquency, it results largely from the fact that boys' delinquency rates have declined over time while girls' rates have remained relatively constant.

Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice: These findings challenge the conventional wisdom that the increasing involvement of girls in juvenile justice is a result of changes in their behavior. Thus, additional research is needed to understand which system policies and practices account for girls' increased justice system involvement (e.g., “zero tolerance” policies, the war on drugs). These findings also suggest a need for social work advocacy to challenge perceptions of girls, particularly girls of color, as increasingly delinquent.