Gender Bias in Juvenile Justice

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Abstract
A major issue in juvenile justice is the question of discrimination against females in processing by agents of the justice system. A particular target is female status offenders, who are said to be treated more harshly than male status offenders. This study uses eight data sets from six sites across the country to assess the accuracy of this assertion, controlling for offense and prior record. The results indicate bias against girls for some offenses and against boys for others. However, the pattern varies widely across sites, with little consistency. Although status offenders are consistently given harsher treatment than delinquent offenders, this is as true for boys as it is for girls. There is some evidence that girls are arrested for status offenses at a higher rate than boys, when contrasted with their self-reported delinquency rates. Given the relatively even-handed treatment both genders seem to receive once they are in the system, the role of their parents in bringing about the status offense arrest deserves more attention in future research.