BOTH WOMEN ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE CONVICTED OR INSTITUTIONALIZED THAN ARE MALES AND DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF EXISTING DISPARITIES IN JUVENILE DISPOSITIONS. IT IS NOTED THAT WHILE FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDERS DO ESCAPE CONVICTION OR PUNISHMENT AT TIMES PURELY BECAUSE OF THEIR SEX, THEY ARE OFTEN PROSECUTED AND INCARCERATED FOR CONDUCT WHICH THE COURT SEEMS TO EXPECT AND ACCEPT FROM THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS (E.G., SEXUAL ACTIVITY, ARGUING WITH PARENTS AND OTHER AUTHORITY FIGURES). IT IS ARGUED THAT FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE HANDLED IN LIGHT OF SOCIETY'S PERCEPTION OF THEIR SEX ROLE, THAT MOST HAVE NOT COMMITTED AN OFFENSE BUT HAVE MERELY VIOLATED THE COMMUNITY'S CONCEPT OF WHAT CONSTITUTES A PROPER YOUNG WOMAN, AND THAT THE JUVENILE COURT CONTINUES TO DISPLAY A HYPERSENSITIVE INTEREST IN THE SEX LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM LOWER CLASS BACKGROUNDS. FURTHER, IT IS ARGUED THAT JUVENILE AUTHORITIES GROSSLY UNDERREACT TO CRIME AGAINST YOUNG WOMEN; THERE IS AN ESPECIAL LACK OF RESPONSE TO INCEST AND OTHER SEXUAL ABUSES WHICH ARE MUCH MORE PERVASIVE THAN OUR MALE-ORIENTED SOCIETY CARES TO ADMIT AND WHICH, COMBINED WITH OTHER PRESSURES (I.E., THE NATURAL BURGEONING OF SEXUAL DESIRES, THE LACK OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY), MAY BE AMONG THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY FEMALES BEFORE THE JUVENILE COURT. (KBL)