Typically in the available literature there is a difference in the types of crimes committed by juveniles and adults. There are also differences between the types of crimes males and females commit. However, within the last two decades, there has been a closing of this gap not only between age groups but also with genders. Female offenders, both juvenile and adult, seem to have gotten deeper into violent crimes where this was previously seen as a more male-dominated area (Lane and Fox, 2013). With this closing of the gap between age and gender, one has to ask whether the system is failing the offenders or if the standard deterrent methods have begun to become obsolete. At first glance, the answer seems to be a mixture of both; standard deterrence tools as well as the system failing are viable explanation for current crime statistics in both of these groups (Heidensohn and Gelsthorpe, 2012).
For starters, there was a trend for juveniles to commit non-violent crimes such as petty theft, and male juveniles were more apt to commit these acts than females (Jones et al, 2014). However, as time passed and the crimes have become more violent in nature, this statistic has changed; gone are the days of truancy and petty theft. According to Jones et al (2014), juveniles are more involved in gangs which have increased the number of assaults and murders committed by juvenile offenders.
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This is an extremely disturbing trend because not only does it show an overall rise in the types of violent crime committed by juveniles, but it also shows the age of the average offender is dropping. Children as young as ten are being charged with violent crimes that can literally change the course of the justice system and how these are going to be handled (Lane and Fox, 2013). Experts seem to agree that the younger the offender gets, the more they tend to commit more violent crimes. There is little difference between the types of crimes committed by juvenile and adult males.
When looking at the types of crimes committed by females, both adult and juvenile, one would assume that there is a significant difference in the types of crime as well as the intensity of violence associated with these acts (Smart, 2013). Unfortunately, this is far from being the case. Both adult and juvenile females are involved with almost as many violent crimes as their male counterparts. Adult females typically commit crimes such as theft, armed robbery, and assault and in some instances murder. Smart (2013) attributes this to the growing violence that is associated with everyday society as well as a drive in these female offenders to take drastic measures to provide for their families.
Additionally, juvenile females have been associated more with gang affiliation which still regardless of gender requires some tough initiation procedures. Jones et al (2014) argue that females in gangs are extremely vicious and willing to commit any type of crime, sometimes more so than their male counterparts. In a way it almost seems as if the female juvenile offenders are trying to prove something to everyone by behaving in such a violent fashion.
In summary, the currently available literature does strongly suggest that there is a gap between juvenile and adult offenders as well as males and females where there is a difficulty discerning what types of crimes these groups commit. While a mere thirty years ago there was still a distinct diving line between these groups and their crimes, the line is quickly blurring with the passage of time. Women and girls are committing more violent crimes than ever before, which is a disturbing trend. It is now time for the system to properly identify this problem and come up with ways to combat it.
