Courts generally view female adolescents as more vulnerable and in need of more protection than male adolescents. Female sexual activity frequently becomes part of the record that judges and other court officers review, regardless of the offense being tried. Police officers often contribute to the differential treatment of female adolescents; they tend to arrest more females for sexual activities than for criminal conduct, and they promote a different set of sanctions for them. Self-report data, however, indicate that males engage in at least the same amount of sexual activity as females but are rarely arrested for such behavior. Like their adult counterparts, adjudicated juvenile females find themselves with few programs and services to meet their needs for developing socialization and life skills. When educationally disadvantaged delinquent females enter the juvenile justice system, they also encounter administrative resistance to the provision of appropriate resources. The differential treatment of males and females in the juvenile justice system begins with schools, continues with law enforcement and courts, and is perpetuated by the correctional system. The need for educational opportunities for female juvenile offenders is critical. The profile of these offenders indicates most are 16 years of age, live in urban ghettos, are high school dropouts, and are victims of sexual or physical abuse. Most female juvenile offenders in secure facilities indicate a member of their family has been incarcerated, and many teenage female offenders suffer from low self-esteem. Policy considerations in treating juvenile female offenders are discussed. 29 references.