Violence, privilege and power: Images of female delinquents in film.

Perceptions of female delinquents are formed in part by exposure to media images of these females. The news media has depicted different constructions of troubled girls ranging from promiscuous to mean (Chesney-Lind & Irwin, 2004). The entertainment media provides images of troubled girls, yet this topic has rarely been addressed. This study examines films featuring female delinquents in order to understand how these girls are portrayed and to identify messages sent to viewers. It questions whether these images are similar to those found in the news media and how these images may shape perceptions of female delinquents in our society.