This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chesney-Lind, M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Girls' Crime and Woman's Place: Toward a Feminist Model of Female Delinquency

This article argues that existing delinquency theories are fundamentally inadequate to the task of explaining female delinquency and official reactions to girls' deviance. To establish this, the article first reviews the degree of the androcentric bias in the major theories of delinquent behavior. Then the need for a feminist model of female delinquency is explored by reviewing the available evidence on girls' offending. This review shows that the extensive focus on disadvantaged males in public settings has meant that girls' victimization and the relationship between that experience and girls' crime has been systematically ignored. Also missed has been the central role played by the juvenile justice system in the sexualization of female delinquency and the criminalization of girls' survival strategies. Finally, it will be suggested that the official actions of the juvenile justice system should be understood as major forces in women's oppression as they have historically served to reinforce the obedience of all young women to the demands of patriarchal authority no matter how abusive and arbitrary.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. F. Parker and A. Reckdenwald Women and Crime in Context: Examining the Linkages Between Patriarchy and Female Offending Across Space Feminist Criminology, January 1, 2008; 3(1): 5 - 24. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Holtfreter and R. Cupp Gender and Risk Assessment: The Empirical Status of the LSI-R for Women Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, November 1, 2007; 23(4): 363 - 382. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Miller Traversing the Spatial Divide? Gender, Place, and Delinquency Feminist Criminology, July 1, 2007; 2(3): 202 - 222. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. L. Mallicoat Gendered Justice: Attributional Differences Between Males and Females in the Juvenile Courts Feminist Criminology, January 1, 2007; 2(1): 4 - 30. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Hadjar, D. Baier, K. Boehnke, and J. Hagan Juvenile Delinquency and Gender Revisited: The Family and Power-Control Theory Reconceived European Journal of Criminology, January 1, 2007; 4(1): 33 - 58. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Chesney-Lind Patriarchy, Crime, and Justice: Feminist Criminology in an Era of Backlash Feminist Criminology, January 1, 2006; 1(1): 6 - 26. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Belknap and K. Holsinger The Gendered Nature of Risk Factors for Delinquency Feminist Criminology, January 1, 2006; 1(1): 48 - 71. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. L. Piquero, A. R. Gover, J. M. MacDonald, and A. R. Piquero The Influence of Delinquen Peers on Delinquency: Does Gender Matter? Youth Society, March 1, 2005; 36(3): 251 - 275. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. D. Ness Why Girls Fight: Female Youth Violence in the Inner City The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, September 1, 2004; 595(1): 32 - 48. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. G. KAUFMAN and C. S. WIDOM Childhood Victimization, Running Away, and Delinquency Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, November 1, 1999; 36(4): 347 - 370. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. J. FUNK Risk Assessment for Juveniles on Probation: A Focus on Gender Criminal Justice and Behavior, March 1, 1999; 26(1): 44 - 68. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. HERZ The Differential Effects of Informal and Formal Social Controls on the Processing of Status Offenders Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, May 1, 1998; 14(2): 173 - 192. [Abstract]

				R. AGNEW and T. BREZINA Relational Problems with Peers, Gender, and Delinquency Youth Society, September 1, 1997; 29(1): 84 - 111. [Abstract]

				L. BROIDY and R. AGNEW Gender and Crime: A General Strain Theory Perspective Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, August 1, 1997; 34(3): 275 - 306. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Baines and C. Alder Are Girls More Difficult to Work With? Youth Workers' Perspectives in Juvenile Justice and Related Areas Crime Delinquency, July 1, 1996; 42(3): 467 - 485. [Abstract]

				M. Morash, R. N. Haarr, and L. Rucker A Comparison of Programming for Women and Men in U.S. Prisons in the 1980s Crime Delinquency, April 1, 1994; 40(2): 197 - 221. [Abstract]

				D. J. SHOEMAKER Male-Female Delinquency in the Philippines: A Comparative Analysis Youth Society, March 1, 1994; 25(3): 299 - 329. [Abstract]