“Measuring delinquency”: observation, scientific assessment and testing of delinquent girls in 20th-century Belgium

Marginality is a social construction supported by discourses, procedures, or rulings that determine which behaviours conform to the norm. This article looks at the process of marginalisation undertaken towards delinquent girls in Belgium, from 1920 to 1970. Belgium is considered one of the pioneers in the field of observing minors: observation centres opened shortly after the creation of juvenile courts (1912). At this time, children and young people were considered a bio-psycho-social unit that had to be analysed from a social, moral, and medical point of view. This paper is interested in what is and what is meant by observation of delinquent girls: origin and theoretical foundations of the expertise and expert practices with girls. The paper is organised in two parts. Part one analyses the main processes justifying expertise practices through the development of disciplines interested in the study of the delinquent child. This first part is based on Belgian and international literature about scientific assessment of delinquent people. Part two analyses assessment practices organised in “observation” centres for delinquent girls in Belgium. This second part is based on the study of 189 observation reports from six different observation centres (public or private) for girls. The observation of institutionalised girls serves as a perfect illustration of how such a "case" was constructed and how these marginalised girls were socially disqualified, as set forth in the observation reports.