Characteristics of female youth offenders in New Zealand
Lim, Stacey
Characteristics of female youth offenders in New Zealand Stacey Lim, Ian Lambie and Annik van Toledo - Sge, 2019 - International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology .
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2019, 63(2):198-217
Female youth offending is poorly understood, despite increased rates of such offending. Research indicates there are a range of factors that have a causal impact on the development of offending in young people. This study investigated risk factors using a retrospective file audit of 184 female youth offenders in New Zealand. The findings were classified using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, which highlights the different contextual levels that influence behavior, including individual, family, peer, school, community, and cultural factors. The results indicate that there are significant risk factors for female youth offenders. There were high rates of mental health difficulties, drug use, histories of maltreatment, family stressors, peer issues, and school behavior problems in the cohort. There was very little difference between violent and nonviolent offenders. All the young women had risk factors affecting them at many levels. Targeted, multisystemic intervention and prevention programs are therefore needed to address female youth offending. (Authors' abstract). Record #6051
CHILD ABUSE
CHILD EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE
CHILD NEGLECT
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
MENTAL HEALTH
RISK FACTORS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
YOUNG OFFENDERS
YOUNG WOMEN
NEW ZEALAND
Characteristics of female youth offenders in New Zealand Stacey Lim, Ian Lambie and Annik van Toledo - Sge, 2019 - International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology .
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2019, 63(2):198-217
Female youth offending is poorly understood, despite increased rates of such offending. Research indicates there are a range of factors that have a causal impact on the development of offending in young people. This study investigated risk factors using a retrospective file audit of 184 female youth offenders in New Zealand. The findings were classified using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, which highlights the different contextual levels that influence behavior, including individual, family, peer, school, community, and cultural factors. The results indicate that there are significant risk factors for female youth offenders. There were high rates of mental health difficulties, drug use, histories of maltreatment, family stressors, peer issues, and school behavior problems in the cohort. There was very little difference between violent and nonviolent offenders. All the young women had risk factors affecting them at many levels. Targeted, multisystemic intervention and prevention programs are therefore needed to address female youth offending. (Authors' abstract). Record #6051
CHILD ABUSE
CHILD EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE
CHILD NEGLECT
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
MENTAL HEALTH
RISK FACTORS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
YOUNG OFFENDERS
YOUNG WOMEN
NEW ZEALAND