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WOMEN, CRIME, AND JUSTICE

NCJ Number
65915
Editor(s)
S K DATESMAN, F R SCARPITTI
Date Published
1980
Length
384 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONS AMONG WOMEN, CRIME, AND JUSTICE ARE EXPLORED IN THIS COLLECTION OF ARTICLES, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE ETIOLOGY AND PATTERNS OF FEMALE CRIME, WOMEN IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND CRIME AND EMANCIPATION.
Abstract
RECENT CRIMINOLOGICAL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDIES INVESTIGATING THE INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN IN CRIME AND THE DISPARATE TREATMENT OF THE SEXES BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CONTRIBUTE TO THIS VOLUME AND REPRESENT THE FIELDS OF SOCIOLOGY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, LAW, AND POLITICAL SCIENCE. THE READINGS ARE INTENDED TO ENHANCE CRIMINOLOGY STUDY, DELINQUENCY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE COURSES, COURSES IN SEX ROLES, AND WOMEN'S STUDIES. DISCUSSION OF THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF FEMALE CRIME EXPLORES TRENDS OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES WITH DOCUMENTATION FROM OFFICIAL STATISTICS AND SELF-REPORT DATA. THE ETIOLOGY OF FEMALE CRIME IS VIEWED FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF EXISTING LITERATURE, WITH ATTENTION TO SOCIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSATIVE FACTORS SUCH AS BROKEN HOMES AND THE FEMALE SEX ROLE. ARTICLES EXAMINING THE PATTERNS OF FEMALE CRIME REPORT ON WOMEN'S INVOLVEMENT WITH VIOLENT AND ORGANIZED CRIME, DRUG ADDICTION, GIRLS' GANGS, AND PROSTITUTION. THE JUSTICE SYSTEM'S DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES ARE ADDRESSED IN TERMS OF THE SEXIST ATTITUDES, CHIVALRY, AND PATERNALISM THAT RESULT IN SENTENCING DISPARITIES AND MISGUIDED INADEQUATE, DETENTION PROGRAMS. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST BOTH JUVENILE AND ADULT FEMALE OFFENDERS IS CONSIDERED; LEGAL SOLUTIONS ARE WEIGHED AND ARGUMENTS CITED IN SUPPORT OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT. A SPECIAL ARTICLE ADDRESSES THE DILEMMA OF MOTHERS BEHIND BARS AND THE PARENTAL RIGHTS OF INCARCERATED WOMEN. FINAL REMARKS ANALYZE THE RELATIONSHIP OF WOMEN'S CRIME AND WOMEN'S EMANCIPATION, CONCLUDING THAT DESPITE THE INCREASE IN FEMALE CRIMES, THE EQUAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAS NOT HAD A CAUSATIVE EFFECT. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)