Gender Differences in Self-Reported Delinquency and Victimization in Ghana: Does Context Matter?

• In Event: ISRD Panel 2: Violence and Victimization Across Various Contexts

Abstract

Gender differences in offending and victimization have been reported across many criminological studies. While much of the existing evidence comes from Western countries, there is limited research on these patterns in the African context. To address this gap, the current study examines gender differences in the patterns and prevalence of self-reported delinquency and victimization among youth in Ghana, utilizing data from the fourth wave of the International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD4). The study explores whether and how contextual factors in Ghana shape gendered pathways to offending and victimization. The analysis focuses on the individual, family, peer and contextual dynamics influencing boys’ and girls’ involvement in delinquent behaviors and their experiences of victimization. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of gender and youth crime in an understudied context, providing evidence to inform crime prevention policy and intervention.

Authors

• Kofi E Boakye, University of Leicester

• Zariatu Ibrahim, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Akosua Adutwumwaa Adu-Poku, University of Ghana