Female delinquency should be studied either by using traditional male-centered theories or using new feminist theories, according to many criminologists.

But this either/or understanding of female delinquency is one that Jill Deines, graduate student, hopes to dispel. At the Women’s Center on Friday, Deines, presented her research on gender and delinquency as part of the Women’s Research Network.

In reference to the either/or understanding, Deines said the continuation of such a perspective “will do little to further criminologists understanding of gender and crime.”

Instead, Deines said criminologists need to take into account all of the theories – both traditional and feminist – when studying the cause of female delinquency.

One traditional theory – called anomie theory – suggests delinquency is caused by the frustration of not being able to attain financial and employment goals, Deines said. People acting for reasons explained by anomie theory might steal or sell drugs to help support their families or afford better clothing.

“People sort of make up their own means to the end,” Deines said afterward in explanation of the theory.

Another traditional theory – differential association – explains that delinquent behavior is learned from peers and family members, Deines said. A delinquent who would fall into this category might learn how to steal from friends.

A third theory – social control – proposes that lack of involvement in conventional activities and weak attachment to parents and peers is the cause of delinquency, Deines said. Delinquents who commit crimes for these reasons feel that their parents don’t care about them or what they do.

But, according to Deines, feminists disagree with all three of these traditional theories because past studies used only male samples, and feminists believe the theories don’t acknowledge other factors that contribute to female delinquency.

These other factors include a male-dominated system and physical and sexual abuse.

But Deines disagrees with both proponents of traditional and feminist theorists.

Deines cited examples from an on-going 1992 study of Ohio female and male juvenile delinquents to support her conclusion that criminologists should consider both traditional and feminists theories in their analysis of reasons for delinquency.

The study includes narratives given by delinquents describing their reasons for committing crimes. According to Deines, the majority of respondents’ answers contained instances of both traditional and feminist theories.

One female delinquent’s story in particular exemplifies both theories, according to Deines.

The delinquent, Anna, said her step-father taught her to break into homes and encouraged her to smoke marijuana in their home. Her step-father’s role in her delinquency is an example of traditional differential association.

And Anna said her mother didn’t have time to care what Anna did, which links her delinquency to another traditional theory – social control.

But Anna’s story also contains examples of feminists theory.

Anna’s step-father was abusive to her mother and his role in teaching Anna role to break into homes is an example of female delinquency being caused by abuse and a male’s dominating role.

After Deines spoke, Heather Harman, junior, said she hadn’t realized that so many theories exist to explain female delinquency.

Harman was also surprised by the role parents play in preventing delinquency.

“It was shocking to see how much parental supervision and discipline influences people and the importance of it,” Harman said.

Lisa Richman, graduate assistant for the Women’s Center, said the Center asked Deines to speak at the Women’s Research Network because they were interested in her work.

“When we saw the work that Jill was doing, we thought that it would be very appropriate,” Richman said.

Deines’ presentation on female delinquency was based on her Master’s thesis, which she wrote because of her interest in gender and crime.

“I’m just interested in gender and crime because there’s such a discrepancy in the type amount and type of crime women commit and men commit,” Deines said.