Date of Defense

Fall 11-29-2000

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Zoann Snyder, Sociology

Second Advisor

Susan Caringella-MacDonald, Sociology

Third Advisor

Carolyn H. Williams, 9th Circuit Court-Family Division

Abstract

Gender bias is evident throughout all aspects of society. It is noticeable in the language we use everyday. Bias appears in families, is obvious in the classroom, and even in corporate America. The glass ceiling argument indicates a strong bias against women. Gender bias plays a large role in a number of social institutions. One institutions that is often overlooked is the criminal justice system, specifically the juvenile system. Juvenile crime is a serious societal problem, and gender bias does little to solve it. This thesis is an examination of gender bias in the juvenile justice system, broken down into five sections. The first section is a short overview of the historical roots of the system. The second section is a literature review examining theories of male/female delinquency, the disproportionate number of males in the juvenile system, how males/females are treated once they enter the system, and whether one sex receives harsher or more lenient punishments compared to the other. The third section focuses on the methodology of the research, and the final section is devoted to the implementation of the research. The intent of this project is to highlight the problem of gender bias.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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