NCJ Number
123753
Journal
Women and Criminal Justice Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (1990) Pages: 87-109
Date Published
1990
Length
23 pages
Annotation
During the past decade, female arrest statistics for homicide have not fluctuated meaningfully; female arrests for alcohol-related offenses have decreased while arrests for drug use have increased by nearly 50 percent. This study compared two groups of women arrested for homicide in six urban areas: those who had used alcohol or drugs prior to the killing and those who had not used any substance.
Abstract
Offender characteristics included race, age, marital status, maternal status, and employment status. Offense characteristics consisted of day of week, victim-offender relationship, offender role, motive, premeditation, victim precipitation, method, and number of wounds. Victim characteristics included race, age, gender, alcohol or drug use prior to homicide, prior arrests, and violent arrest history. The study accounted for criminal justice proceedings including initial charge, final charge, final disposition, prison time, prior arrests, and violent arrest history. The results indicate that the study group of substance users cannot be differentiated from the comparison group of nonusers. Women who killed were unemployed minority mothers who premeditated the homicide, acted alone, usually killed with a single gun wound, and claimed little responsibility. 4 tables, 16 notes, 32 references. (Author abstract modified)