Statistics from the Youth Justice Board have revealed that the past three years have seen a rise of nearly 40 per cent in violent crimes committed by under-18s.
Moreover, the media has been swift to report that the number of offences perpetrated by girls in 2006-7 has escalated by 25 per cent from 2003-4.
Despite living in society decreasingly defined by gender, the news of girls committing crimes still appears to generate far greater shockwaves than reports of offences attributed to their male counterparts.
Is distinguishing between crimes committed by girls and boys an outdated and reductionist method of assessment or should we be genuinely troubled by evidence that a prominent sub-section of British society is suddenly indulging in considerably more misdemeanours?
A study by South Bank University has proposed a number of explanations concerning the increase in crime by teenage girls, including a growing intolerance by the authorities towards female criminal activity.
It is possible that police are more likely to prosecute what were once considered minor offences due to an understandably growing fear of teenage gang culture.
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There may also be less outside intervention in fights from members of the public, requiring police to get involved in confrontations that once would have been quelled at an earlier stage.
Yet news reports have more quickly seized upon the suggestion that the rise in violent crimes is due to increased alcohol consumption amongst teenage girls.
This is likely to help explain quantitative differences between us and other European countries but can it account for such a marked increase within England in merely a few years?
Furthermore, it is a solution that once again relies upon demonising an external force.
Connecting bad behaviour to binge drinking is the reasonable conclusion but it also means that society risks turning alcohol into a scapegoat, at the expense of tackling the individual reasons why teenagers, including girls, become involved in crime.
Posted by: Excalibur, Bromley on 9:18am Wed 25 Jun 08
[quote]It is possible that police are more likely to prosecute what were once considered minor offences due to an understandably growing fear of teenage gang culture.[/quote] Unfortunately it's the CPS who decide to prosecute - more's the pity, as they seem to be 'target' driven as opposed to 'justice' driven.
It is possible that police are more likely to prosecute what were once considered minor offences due to an understandably growing fear of teenage gang culture.
Unfortunately it's the CPS who decide to prosecute - more's the pity, as they seem to be 'target' driven as opposed to 'justice' driven.
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