Women's Offending: Trends, Issues and Theoretical Explanations

Öz

Women are being incarcerated in increasing numbers in Western countries, predominately for minor offences such as drug and property offences. Much is known about the offending patterns of women: They are more likely to commit property, fraud, theft, deception, minor assaults and drug related crime There is a strong link between women's socio-economic status, illicit drug (and alcohol) use There is a perception that women are becoming more violent as a result of being violently abused by others in the past. Early feminist theorists believed that the increase in women's crime was related to women's equality and liberation. If this is the case can we blame this increase on feminist theory and the increased equality of women? Or is the explanation more complex? This paper contends that it is not possible to consider the current trends in women's offending in a vacuum - there needs to be theoretical explanations about what is happening. If we can't explain WHY women offend, the logic (and thus success) of WHAT we do may be accidental and haphazard rather than clearly planned.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Offending women, offending patterns, feminism

Kaynakça

1. Alder, F. (1975). Sisters in crime. New York: McGraw Hill.
2. Alder, C. (1997). ‘Theories of female delinquency’. In Borowski, A & O Connor, 1 eds. Juvenile crime, justice and corrections. Pg. 43-59. Melbourne: Longman
3. Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC). ( 2009). Australian crime: facts and figures. Canberra: Australian Government retrieved on 21/04/2012 from http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/cfi/cfi001.html
4. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2011a). ‘Directory of family and domestic violence statistics, 2011’. Retrieved on 27/4/2012 at www.abs.com
5. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2011b). ‘Prisoners in Australia’ retrieved on 27/04/2012 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Products/7E284268227D761FCA25795F000DB296?opendo cument
6. Becker, H. (2001). ‘Outsiders’. In Muncie, J McLaughlin, E. & Langtan, M Criminological perspectives: a reader. Pp. 214-223. London:Sage Publications
7. Blanchette, K. (2004) ‘Revisiting effective classification strategies for women offenders in Canada’ Feminism & Psychology Vol. 14(2): Pp. 231–236
8. Carrington, K. (2008). Critical reflections on feminist criminologies’. In Anthony, T. & Cunneen, C. The critical criminology companion. Pg 82-93. NSW: Hawkins Press Chesney-Lind, M. (2006). ‘Patriarchy, crime, and justice: feminist criminology in an era of backlash’. Feminist Criminology. Vol. 1(6) Pp. 6-26. . doi: 10.1177/1557085105282893

9. Chesney-Lind, M. (2007). ‘Beyond bad girls: feminist perspectives on female offending’. In Summer, C. The Blackwell companion to criminology. Pp. 255-267. Victoria: Blackwell Publishing.
10. Chesney –Lind, M. & Pasko, L. (2004) The female offender: girls, women and crime. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
11. Convery, U. (2009). Addressing offending by women: a literature review. Research and statistical Series: Report no 21. Northern Ireland: Statistical and Research Branch, Criminal Justice, Northern Ireland. Retrieved on 25/05/2011 at http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/cfi/cfi001.html
12. Cunneen, C, & White, R. (2011). Juvenile justice: youth and crime in Australia. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.
13. Department of Justice (2007) Statistical profile of Victorian prison system 2001-02 to 2005-06. Melbourne: Victorian Government.
14. Department of Justice (2010) Statistical profile of Victorian prison system 2005-06 to 2010-011. Melbourne: Victorian Government.
15. Dominelli (2002). Feminist social work. Basingstoke: Macmillan Education
16. Fawcett Society. (2004). ‘Interim report on women and offending’. Retreieved on 11/07/2008 http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/documents/Report%20of%20the%20Commission%20on%2 0Women%20and%20the%20Criminal%20Justice%20System%20March%202004(2).pdf
17. Gelsthorpe, L. and Morris, A. (2002) ‘Women’s imprisonment in England and Wales: a penal paradox’ Criminal Justice Vol. 2(3): 277–301
18. Gelsthorpe, L. (2007) ‘Sentencing and gender’. In Sheehan, R., McIvor, G. & Trotter, C. (eds) What works with women offenders. Pp. 40-60. Devon: Willan Publishing
19. Gelsthorpe, L., Sharpe, G. and Roberts, J. (2007) Provision for women offenders in the community. London: Fawcett Society
20. Gelsthorpe, L (2010). Women, crime and control. Criminology and Criminal Justice, 10, 375-386. doi: 10.1177/1748895810382373
21. Hedderman, C. (2004) ‘The Criminogenic needs of women offenders’. In McIvor, G. (eds.) Women who offend. London: Jessica Kingsley
22. Holmes, J. (2010). ‘Female offending: has there been an increase?’ Issues paper No 46. Crime and Justice Statistics. NSW: Bureau of Crime and Statistics Research. Retrieved on 25/04/2011 at http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/cfi/cfi001.html
23. Hopkins, C. Q., & Koss, M.P. (2005). Incorporating feminist theory and insights into a restorative justice response to sex offenses. Violence Against Women, 11, 693-723. doi: 10.1177/1077801205274570
24. McIvor, G. (2007) ‘The Nature of female offending’. In Sheehan, R., McIvor, G. & Trotter, C. (eds) What works with women offenders. Pp. 1-22. Devon: Willan Publishing
25. National Crime Prevention Council (1995). Offender profiles. Retrieved on 27/06/2009 at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/familyviolence/html/fvprofil_e.html
26. NSW Department of Corrective Services (2006). NSW Government Action plan for women 2003- 2005. Retrieved on 27/06/2009 at http://www.correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au/site_search?mode=results&queries_site_search_qu ery=statistical+reports
27. O’Brien, R.T. (2006). Community Corrections in Canada Women Offenders. Retrieved on 25/04/2012 at http://www.icclr.law.ubc.ca/Publications/2008/Book%20on%20Community%20Corrections/13%20Rosemary%20T.%20OBrien%20Women%20Offender.pdf
28. Simon, R. (1976). ‘Women and Crime Revisited’ Social Science Quarterly. 56 658- 663
29. Ogloff, J & Tye, C. (2007). Responding to mental health needs of women offenders. In Sheehan, R., McIvor, G. and Trotter, C. (eds) What works with women offenders. pp. 142 – 167. Devon: Willan Publishing
30. Pasko, L. (2010). ‘Damaged daughters: the history of girls’ sexuality and the juvenile justice system’ The Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology. Vol 100(3) Pp. 1099-1123 retreived on 27/06/2011 at http://www.law.northwestern.edu/journals/jclc/backissues/v100/n3/1003_1099.Pasko.pdf
31. Roberts, A Jackson, M. S, Carlton-Laney, I. (2000). ‘Revisiting the need for feminism and afro centric theory when treating African-American female substance abusers’ Journal of Drug Issues, retrieved on July 17th2011 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3733/is_200010/ai_n8916733
32. Rowbotham, J. (2011). ‘The gendered dock: reflections on the impact of gender stereotyping in the criminal justice system’. In Jones, J., Grear, A., Fenton, R. & Stevenson, K. Gender. Sexualities and the Law. Pp. 106-118. New York: Routledge.
33. Richie, B. E. (2000). ‘Exploring the Link Between Violence Against Women and Women's Involvement in Illegal Activity’. Retrieved on 4/01/2012 at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij
34. Sheehan, R., McIvor, G. and Trotter, C. (2007) ‘What does work for women offenders?’ In Sheehan, R., McIvor, G. & Trotter, C. (eds). What works with women offenders. Pg. 300- 309. Devon: Willan Publishing
35. van Wormer, K. (2010). Working with female offenders: a gender sensitive approach. Hoboken: Wiley.
36. Victoria Police Statistics (2011). Crime statistics 2010/2011. Retrieved 20/04/2012 at |http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=72176
37. Walklate, S. (2004). Gender, crime & criminal justice. United Kingdom: Willan Publishing
38. Wincup, E. (2000) 'Surviving through substance use: the role of substances in the lives of women who appear before the courts'. Sociological Research Online Vol. 4(4) retrieved http://www.socresonline.org.uk/4/4/wincup.html