The gendered framing of language impairments in criminalised young people

Young people whose language performance does not meet socially expected standards are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Pragmatic skills encompass social aspects of language, which include constructing narratives, rules conversations, turn-taking, topic management, and non-verbal communication. Current research on pragmatic impairments criminalised young – that is, their symptomatic difficulties with communication remains inconclusive. The purpose this study is to uncover perceptions framing a sample studies involving boys girls from Australia United States. Drawing content analysis pertinent research, we expose deeply gendered associated behaviours people. We demonstrate available often represent female participants’ problematised use as personal choice, thus locating problem within individual responsibilising women. However, for male participants, current presents consequence institutional failures. argue has political implications future research.