UK-Crime
The number of crimes committed by girls has risen by a quarter in three years, according to a new study published Thursday.

Figures in the Youth Justice Board's Annual Workload Data reported that girls aged between 10 and 17 committed 59,236 crimes in 2006-07, up 25 per cent from 47,358 in 2003-04.

The large increase compared to a 2 per cent drop in crimes committed by boys over the same period, although young men still committed the majority of crimes.

The new statistics showed that around 16,000 girls were found guilty of violent attacks and nearly 20,000 of theft and handling stolen goods. Approximately 1,000 girls were convicted of drug crimes, nearly 1,500 of motoring offences and 5,964 of public order crimes.

It also found that although girls were responsible for around 20 per cent of crimes committed, they only made up 10 per cent of those jailed for youth crimes.

Elaine Arnull of London's South Bank University, who prepared a report on the issue for the Youth Justice Board, suggested that the increase may be due to changes in the way society deals with violence.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Arnull also said the attitude of authorities towards girls' offending had changed, and that police were being called in to deal with minor fights between girls in school playgrounds.

"Most offending by girls, especially violent offending, is of a very low level. It doesn't mean it's insignificant, but it is hair- pulling fights between girls," she said.

She believed it was preferable for minor offences committed by girls to be dealt with outside the youth justice system, and urged the public to "stay calm" over the figures.