Study: Young Gays Punished More

Gay and bisexual teens are more likely to be punished for their crimes or other offenses than straight teens, a new study finds. The study was based on two national surveys. The first one included more than 15,000 teens. They were surveyed again 7 years later, as young adults. About 13% of males and 17% of females said they had been attracted to someone of the same sex. About 5% to 6% had ever had a romantic relationship with the same sex. In the whole survey group, 3 out of 4 said they had committed some minor offense. These included running away, graffiti or shoplifting. Nearly 1 out of 3 admitted a more serious offense, such as burglary or driving a car without permission. About 4 out of 10 admitted to a violent offense. But gays and bisexuals were 25% more likely to 3 times more likely to be punished for the same offenses.