Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice / May 2001Chesney-Lind, Paramo e / ARE GIRLS GETTING MORE VIOLENT? Are Girls Getting More Violent? Exploring Juvenile Robbery Trends

Public discussion regarding youth violence is at an all-time high, and this is particularly true of girls ’ violence. Girls have long been forgotten when juvenile crime is discussed. However, recent statistics showing dramatic increases in the arrests of girls, particularly for traditionally male-dominated offenses (such as assault and robbery), have prompted some to report that girls are getting more violent. Using data from reported juvenile robbery incidents for the City and County of Honolulu during two specific time periods, this research addresses the question, are girls getting more violent? The data indicate that despite claims that youth have become increas-ingly violent, no major shift in the pattern of juvenile robbery occurred over the two time periods. Instead, it appears that less serious offenses, particularly those committed by girls, are being swept up into the criminal justice system. TRENDS IN YOUTH VIOLENCE In the wake of high-profile murders committed by juveniles, public con-cern about youth crime, and particularly youth violence, is at an all-time high. Ironically, this public concern comes among mixed but encouraging signals that crime in general, and youth crime in particular, may be declining (see Males, 1996; Ziedenberg & Schiraldi, 1998). As an example, the nation saw a 4.3 % decrease in the number of arrests of youths for violent crimes between 1996 and 1997. Robbery arrests, specifi