Justice for Canadian girls: A 1990's update

Six critical issues in delinquency research and youth court statistics on g irls are examined. The issues are: discriminatory practices despite equalit y under the law; the prosocial behaviours of girls despite their devalued s tatus; girls' conformity despite the high socio-economic costs they pay for that conformity; high public fear of girl crime despite actual low rates; unjust variations in practices despite a common national law; and profound, but invisible racism injustice for girls. The first three issues are exami ned in some detail, raising questions for the current debates on a new yout h justice statute for Canadian youth.