Academic Research Article Critique – The Trouble with Girls Today
“The Trouble with Girls Today: Professional Perspectives on Young Women’s Offending”, in Youth Justice: An International Journal, December 2009 is an article written and based upon the research of Dr. Gilly Sharpe. Dr. Sharpe has held the position of Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Sheffield, School of Law in Sheffield United Kingdom since 2008. Her qualifications include: PhD, University of Cambridge, MSc, Social Studies and Diploma in Social Work, University of Oxford, MA Modern Languages, University of Cambridge. She is well known for her research on criminal and social justice issues, and in particular, youth justice policy and practices concerning women …show more content…
She asserts her research will prove that there is no evidence to support such claims of panic level increases, and that in fact the “media-promulgated ‘moral panics’ about ‘ladettes’ and girl violence” are responsible for erroneously perpetuating these beliefs. (Sharpe 2009). She uses the term ladette, as defined by Oxford Dictionaries, “a young woman who behaves in a boisterously assertive or crude manner and engages in heavy drinking” to emphasize her disgust with how girls are characterized by the media and in turn perceived by the …show more content…
The qualitative approach seeks to understand social phenomena through the exploration and interpretation of the meanings people attach to, and make sense of, their experiences of the social world. (Creswell 2014). The methods used in this study include: qualitative interviews and observations (Sharpe’s sampling included 48 youth justice and related professionals, whose professional backgrounds are in social work, probation, law enforcement, education, health services, youth work, career guidance and the criminal justice system. The interviewees have between one and 23 years of experience working with young adults, and the majority work within the Youth Offenders Teams (YOT). In England and Wales, a YOT is a multi-agency team that is coordinated by a local authority and is overseen by the Youth Justice Board. YOTs directing interact and work with young offenders by setting up and implementing community services and reparation plans. Their goals are to attempt to prevent youth recidivism and incarceration. Sharpe presents and cites data obtained from previous research findings conducted by other researchers and studies. She asserts that social service agencies and the programs designed for at-risk youth are actually drawing in girls who have not offended, but who are considered to be vulnerable (sexually) into
“The Trouble with Girls Today: Professional Perspectives on Young Women’s Offending”, in Youth Justice: An International Journal, December 2009 is an article written and based upon the research of Dr. Gilly Sharpe. Dr. Sharpe has held the position of Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Sheffield, School of Law in Sheffield United Kingdom since 2008. Her qualifications include: PhD, University of Cambridge, MSc, Social Studies and Diploma in Social Work, University of Oxford, MA Modern Languages, University of Cambridge. She is well known for her research on criminal and social justice issues, and in particular, youth justice policy and practices concerning women …show more content…
She asserts her research will prove that there is no evidence to support such claims of panic level increases, and that in fact the “media-promulgated ‘moral panics’ about ‘ladettes’ and girl violence” are responsible for erroneously perpetuating these beliefs. (Sharpe 2009). She uses the term ladette, as defined by Oxford Dictionaries, “a young woman who behaves in a boisterously assertive or crude manner and engages in heavy drinking” to emphasize her disgust with how girls are characterized by the media and in turn perceived by the …show more content…
The qualitative approach seeks to understand social phenomena through the exploration and interpretation of the meanings people attach to, and make sense of, their experiences of the social world. (Creswell 2014). The methods used in this study include: qualitative interviews and observations (Sharpe’s sampling included 48 youth justice and related professionals, whose professional backgrounds are in social work, probation, law enforcement, education, health services, youth work, career guidance and the criminal justice system. The interviewees have between one and 23 years of experience working with young adults, and the majority work within the Youth Offenders Teams (YOT). In England and Wales, a YOT is a multi-agency team that is coordinated by a local authority and is overseen by the Youth Justice Board. YOTs directing interact and work with young offenders by setting up and implementing community services and reparation plans. Their goals are to attempt to prevent youth recidivism and incarceration. Sharpe presents and cites data obtained from previous research findings conducted by other researchers and studies. She asserts that social service agencies and the programs designed for at-risk youth are actually drawing in girls who have not offended, but who are considered to be vulnerable (sexually) into