Gender traits and delinquency involvement of boys and girls

Exploring the deviant behavior of males and females, criminologists have linked masculine and feminine gender traits to differences observed in their patterns of delinquency. This study sought: (1) to determine whether or not masculine and feminine traits relate to the self-reported delinquencies of males and females, and (2) to assess the relationship between gender traits and delinquency when opportunity and social control variables are controlled. The data suggest a lack of relationship between gender traits and delinquency as measured by frequency and type. Simultaneous controls, however, indicate that the social control and opportunity variables relate moderately to frequency of delinquency and to social, property and aggressive types of delinquency for males and females.