This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7858377.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Crime by girl offenders 'up 22%' | Crime by girl offenders 'up 22%' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The number of crimes committed by girls in England and Wales has risen by 22% over four years, according to a Ministry of Justice report. | The number of crimes committed by girls in England and Wales has risen by 22% over four years, according to a Ministry of Justice report. |
| Youth Offending Teams' figures show nearly 58,000 offences were committed by female offenders aged 10 to 17 in 2007-08 - up 10,000 on 2003-04. | Youth Offending Teams' figures show nearly 58,000 offences were committed by female offenders aged 10 to 17 in 2007-08 - up 10,000 on 2003-04. |
| The report concludes that there has been a "degree of convergence between the sexes" in less serious offending. | The report concludes that there has been a "degree of convergence between the sexes" in less serious offending. |
| But crime reduction charity Nacro said girls were a "soft target" for police. | |
| 'Change of behaviour' | |
| According to the data, males remain more involved in crime, especially in serious crime. | |
| Over the same four-year period the number of cases involving male young offenders fell by 20,000 - a reduction of 9%. | Over the same four-year period the number of cases involving male young offenders fell by 20,000 - a reduction of 9%. |
| The report includes separate figures from a survey suggesting that 17% of girls and young women aged 10 to 25 admitted an offence in 2006 - up from 11% seven years before. | The report includes separate figures from a survey suggesting that 17% of girls and young women aged 10 to 25 admitted an offence in 2006 - up from 11% seven years before. |
| The male proportion stayed the same at 26%. The fact that girls are more likely to be out and about has made them more visible Jackie WorrallNacro | |
| The report says: "It is possible that girls' willingness to admit offences has increased in tandem with society's expectations about their behaviour." | The report says: "It is possible that girls' willingness to admit offences has increased in tandem with society's expectations about their behaviour." |
| But Jackie Worrall, director of policy and public affairs for the crime reduction charity Nacro, said the figures should be treated with caution. | |
| "Police targets in relation to bringing offenders to justice mean they have been going for the soft targets, and girls are the soft target," she added. | |
| "The offences they commit are usually fairly petty. | |
| "I think there has been a bit of a change of behaviour on the part of girls. The fact that girls are more likely to be out and about has made them more visible." | |
| A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the government recognised that it was important to identify the specific needs of women in the criminal justice system. | A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the government recognised that it was important to identify the specific needs of women in the criminal justice system. |
| "We will not successfully reduce women's offending unless we address the particular factors which lead them to offend," the spokesperson added. | "We will not successfully reduce women's offending unless we address the particular factors which lead them to offend," the spokesperson added. |
| "Women and men experience the criminal justice system differently, whether they are victims, suspects, defendants or offenders." | "Women and men experience the criminal justice system differently, whether they are victims, suspects, defendants or offenders." |