ARE GIRLS MORE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH - YOUTH WORKERS PERSPECTIVES INJUVENILE JUSTICE AND RELATED AREAS

This research explored the frequently heard, but virtually unexamined comment in juvenile justice practice that ''girls are more difficult t o work with.'' The qualitative methodology entailed interviews with yo uth workers in juvenile justice and related programs in Victoria Austr alia. Virtually all interviewees concurred with the judgment. Explanat ions were in terms of perceived differences in the complexity of the p roblems involved and in the behavior of young men and women. The relat ively small number of young women affected both the extent of workers' experiences with and the range of services available to young women. The degree to which workers' assessments reflected gendered assumption s, or actual differences in behavior could not be determined by this r esearch. Nevertheless, the extent and intensity of this understanding revealed in this research indicates the need for further research so t hat its potential ramifications can be identified and addressed in juv enile justice policy developments.