Perceptions Of Female Offenders

​Female offenders are often perceived as victims who commit crimes as a self-defense mechanism or as criminal deviants whose actions strayed from typical ‘womanly’ behavior. Such cultural norms for violence exist in our gendered society and there has been scholarly debate about how male and female offenders are perceived and how this perception leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This debate is primarily based upon theories associated with stereotypes and social norms and how these prescriptive norms can influence both public and criminal justice response. Scholars in psychology, sociology, and criminology have found that female offenders are perceived differently than male offenders and this ultimately leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This interdisciplinary book provides an evidence based approach of how female offenders are perceived in society and how this translates to differential treatment within the criminal justice system and explores the ramifications of such differences. Quite often perceptions of female offenders are at odds with research findings. This book will provide a comprehensive evidence-based review of the research that is valuable to laypersons, researchers, practitioners, advocates, treatment providers, lawyers, judges, and anyone interested in equality in the criminal justice system. ​

This first volume of the second edition builds on the many developments made to the study of female offenders, compiling new insights and evidence-based research. With new cases such as Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, it further explores topics including the role of social media in how female offenders are portrayed, juvenile offenders, female aggression in young adults, female perpetrators of domestic violence and more. This book begins with new research on gender stereotypes, disruptive behavior, female aggression, the impact of American media and culture, and gender stereotypes and how they relate to female offending. It examines more diverse topics to include greater intersectionality of female perpetrators in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and sexual identity, and country. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive evidence-based review of the research that is valuable to researchers, practitioners, and advocates interested in equality in the criminal justice system. ​

This new edition is a nuanced exploration of female involvement in various crimes—from delinquency, domestic violence, sexual assault and homicide—that resonates with the pulse of contemporary society. In an age where many events are tweeted and debated online, this book delves into the intricate ways social media portrays female offenders and how this can distort public perceptions and effect legal outcomes. Volume two includes recent research and theory examining how female perpetration is intricately related to gender roles that persist within the criminal justice system and often lead to gender disparities in treatment, criminal justice response, and sentencing and calls into question long-held beliefs and systems that might not be as impartial as they appear. The compelling nature of this volume addresses the complex relationship between trauma and offending and examines crucial subjects like partner violence homicide and the unique challenges faced by trans-women within the criminal justice system, and examines the myths associated with female offending and how that bleeds into criminal justice response. It addresses theories that provide insight into female offending and sentencing and offers ways to generate gender inclusiveness. This volume invites researchers, practitioners, and advocates for justice to join a vital conversation and develop a more informed and equitable criminal justice response.

Until recently, gender stereotypes have shaped the ways in which society views female offenders, often as individuals incapable of criminal activity or extreme violence. When Women Offend: Crime and the Female Perpetrator sheds light on the complex world of female offending, demonstrating women's capability to behave aggressively and violate gender expectations. This title features excerpts of interviews with incarcerated women, as well as links to full audio recordings of each interview. The interviews are available to all readers, regardless of the format they select, and provide them with a unique and intimate lens into the experiences of female offenders relayed in their own words. Readers learn about the influence of gender stereotypes on perceptions of female offending, as well as about common myths associated with female deviance. They are introduced to criminological theory and explore psychological, developmental, sociological, and biological theories through a feminist lens. Dedicated chapters outline various types of female offending, from serial killing to Munchausen by proxy, filicide to sex offending, domestic homicide to terrorism, and more. Each of these chapters includes real-life cases and an exploration of motives and social factors. When Women Offend is ideal for courses in criminology and criminological theory, especially those focused on the female offender.

The second edition of Women and Crime is a carefully revised version of what has become the standard text on this subject. It provides a comprehensive review of findings about female criminality, women and criminal justice, and the treatment of female offenders. It also offers a clear analysis of theoretical perspectives, of images of deviant women and women's experiences of social control. A new section reviews developments during the past decade and outlines the shifts in social research and crime concerns. The bibliography has been thoroughly revised and updated.

Few empirical studies have focused on women in prison. In the last few years, though, a number of studies have demonstrated that there are fundamental differences between male and female prisoners in an ever-changing penal system. Consequently, there has been a need for more comprehensive studies of female offenders for three primary reasons: (1) imperative research gaps remain to be bridged; (2) the female prison experience is not constant; and (3) prison rates for female offenders, especially minority offenders, have increased considerably in the last few years. A central goal of this book, then, is to provide a balance to the existing literature and research on female prisoners in the United States and, to an extent, abroad, focusing primarily on female offenders and using data gathered from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The book utilizes a comprehensive investigative approach by equating the experience of female offenders by the totality of circumstances within an historical, institutional, political, and ideological context. The critical objective is to offer an inclusive analysis of the things that are considered by female inmates to be the most significant before, during, and after their incarceration, as a way of better understanding the reasons that lead to their first incarceration as well as subsequent incarcerations. By reading this book, the reader will have a greater understanding of the many challenges facing female inmates, as well as the relationship between inmates, correctional officers and, by extension, society in general. Also provided is a series of policy recommendations throughout the book, particularly in the concluding chapter and epilogue.

Historically, women have been an afterthought in criminal justice policymaking and the criminological enterprise. The study of criminology has largely been the study of criminal men, because women commit less crime than men. More recently, criminologists have paid increased attention to the population of female offenders, partly because of their growing numbers and partly because of the tens of thousands of children affected by having their mothers in prison or on supervised release. The recent attention, however, has not necessarily been a good thing for women, who are much more likely to be formally prosecuted and incarcerated today than in decades past. This policy shift has come about partly because of misinformed policies implemented to “help” women, and partly because of shifts in theorists’ beliefs and public perceptions that women and men are similar in their criminal motivations and should, therefore, be treated similarly. The controversy surrounding this perception is the focus of this book. To better comprehend the challenges facing women in the criminal justice system, the author (a winner of the Bruce Smith Sr. Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences) employs research findings and statistics to: describe the prevalence and patterns of women’s crimes; review criminological theories, specifically examining how well they explain female criminality; understand female juvenile offenders, reviewing crime rates, theories relating to female delinquency, and detention-related issues; look inside the women’s prison to better understand female prisoners and their world; examine classification and programming issues—particularly the impact of gender-specific programming; and explore the problems experienced by women upon release and the related issue of women’s recidivism.

The issue of child sexual abuse has gained widespread attention over the last three decades, but minimal attention has been paid to sexual abuse by women. Victims of female sex offenders have been virtually ignored or neglected from serious study. Consequently we have little knowledge of the experience of victims or of professional perspectives on female sex offending. Myriam Denov fills these critical gaps in the literature by examining the life histories and experiences of both male and female victims of female sex offenders, and by investigating the impact and consequences of the sexual abuse. She also explores professional responses to female sex offending and the ways in which police officers and psychiatrists have understood, portrayed and managed such cases. In addition to filling the substantial empirical void that surrounds the issue, the book contributes to policy and practice issues relating to victims and to the training of different professional groups involved in child sex abuse.