This study aimed to characterize a group of female juvenile offenders emphasizing differences from male and female juvenile offenders with clinical problems. Participants were 90 adolescents from 13 to 18 years old, who belonged to three groups: female juvenile offenders, male juvenile offenders and female with clinical problems. Participants were evaluated through the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) and the Escalation and Risk Record Card (FER) using a descriptive correlational design. Results showed that females perpetrated fewer and less severe offences than did males; however, they present more risk factors. The female personality profile revealed an active, unruly style, similar to males' and more severe emotional disorders than those found in females with clinical problems. This female personality profile is congruent with international studies about juvenile delinquency and relevant for guiding specialized intervention programs for female young offenders.
juvenile delinquency; women; personality
