Juvenile offenders, with special reference to sex differences

Abstract

Social and demographic background variables relevant to male and female juvenile offenders were studied prospectively in a geographically defined population of 6,007 males and 5,757 females in Northern Finland, together with the distribution of offences by type and number between the sexes. Up to the age of 25 years, 532 males (8.9%) and 60 females (1.0%) had committed at least one crime leading to a criminal record. An intelligence quotient (IQ) of 50–84, but not below 50, was most closely associated with delinquency, as was school performance, in that not only was poor attainment associated with an increased incidence of delinquency, but above-average attainment was also predictive of a lower incidence. This is not interpreted as a causal association but rather an indication of similarity between the demands of the educational system and demands regarding socially desirable behaviour. The demographic, social, educational and health factors predictive of delinquency were very similar for males and females, and the reasons for the difference in the incidence of delinquency between the sexes must be looked for among the general differences in cultural demands and biological factors.