NCJ Number
80350
Date Published
1981
Length
160 pages
Annotation
Following a review of literature on female criminality, this report describes commitment patterns of women sent to Michigan's prisons between 1968 and 1978, including data on personal characteristics, offenses, parole, and sentencing jurisdiction.
Abstract
Major theories on the etiology of female crime are summarized, as are characteristics of female offenders and mechanisms for processing women through the criminal justice system. A brief history of Michigan's prisons for women in the 19th and 20th centuries emphasizes that only minimal progress has been made in providing adequate correctional facilities. The sample selected for this project consisted of 3,162 female offender cases processed by the Department of Corrections between 1968 and 1978. During this period, the number of females committed to prison rose by 260 percent, far outdistancing the rise in female crime. Analysis of the data on personal and social characteristics showed that the likelihood of a female offender being nonwhite, poor, and with a drug or psychiatric history increased. Most female offenders were under 30, but by 1978 only 3 in 10 had completed high school. These offenders obviously needed an array of correctional programs, including education, vocational assistance, and treatment for mental and physical disabilities. Changes in offense patterns of the sample indicated that nonserious offenses accounted for most of the total increase in female commitments, with larcency and drugs being the most significant contributors. Profiles of females committed characterize this population as disadvantaged losers in society and present little support for the assertion that women have received preferential treatment in the judicial system. During the study period, the average length of stay in correctional facilities increased, and the number of escapes grew dramatically. Regardless of sentence or offense, women tended to serve 1 to 2 years. An examination of trends in individual counties revealed that urban areas, counties with unstable populations, and counties with large nonwhite populations committed the highest numbers of female offenders. Patterns were also analyzed for the 18 courts in 17 counties which provided 93 percent of all commitments. Implications of these findings for corrections policy are discussed, and specific recommendations are outlined. The report includes tables and approximately 140 references.