It is also clear that as the gender roles and expectations of girls as opposed to boys changes and in many ways overlaps there will and have been logical increases in the number of girls in the system and generally experiencing acts of juvenile delinquency. Many link the decrease in the gap between violent offences among girls and boys to social change, often associated with the lack of paternal involvement. Yet, it is also true that the same can be said of boys, as boys without paternal involvement are much more likely than those with it to offend, in a myriad of ways. Yet, more common "split" and single parent situations are demonstrative of increased female offences. (Schaffner, 2006, p. 93)the most obvious way that family behaviors effect delinquency are both adult examples of illegal or illicit behaviors, including aggression and reduced supervision by adults of children. Some link increases in female delinquency to a new zero tolerance policy with regard to delinquent behavior, as children have increasingly gone under the gun for offences that if committed by adults would likely not be pursued as criminal.

Historically speaking female delinquents have been treated unfairly in the sense that they were less likely to be charged or held when involved in some types of illegal activity while boys were held almost routinely. Yet, as the number of female delinquents has increased and therefore services and resources for girls have also increased and therefore zero tolerance policies coupled with the perception of increased violent offences among girls has increased the...

Though there still may be some bias that favors girls in the juvenile justice system this seems to be changing.
It is clear that gender differences are present in adulthood and childhood, society, family and individuals perform different roles based on gender expectations. Yet, it must also be noted that gender gaps seem to be closing, especially with regard to delinquent behaviors, their influences and societal reaction to them. In the past girls have been given the benefit of the doubt while boys were held and charged almost as a prevention method of reaction by the system. This is changing, as a result of societal changes as well as zero tolerance policies associated with perception of juvenile crime, real developments of increased violent offences by girls and women and many other factors not the least of which is the growth of services and resources for juvenile justice holding of girls.

References

Bridges, G.S. & Myers, M.A. (Eds.). (1994). Inequality, Crime, and Social Control. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Moffitt, T.E., Caspi, a., Rutter, M., & Silva, P.A. (2001). Sex Differences in Antisocial Behaviour: Conduct Disorder, Delinquency, and Violence in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Peters, S.R. (2001, December). Relationships' Role in Female Juvenile Delinquency. Corrections Today, 63, 76.

Schaffner, L. (2006). Girls in Trouble with the Law. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.