Gender and Crime - Offense Patterns and Criminal Court Sanctions (From Crime and Justice - An Annual Review of Research, P 91-144, 1983, Michael Tonry and Norval Morris, ed. - See NCJ-89003)

• NCJ Number: 89006
• Author(s): I H Nagel; J Hagan
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 54 pages
• Sale Source: University of Chicago Press
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The relation between gender and criminality is strong, and is likely to remain so. Women traditionally have been less likely to commit violent crimes, and that pattern persists today.

Abstract

Rates of female involvement in some forms of property crimes -- notably petty theft and fraud -appear to be increasing. However, while the relative increase in women's property crime involvement is significant, female participation even in these crimes remains far less than that of men. The relation of gender to case processing decisions in the criminal justice system varies from stage to stage. Although the pertinent literature is plagued by methodological and interpretive problems, several tentative conclusions can be offered. Women are more likely than men, other factors being equal, to be released on recognizance; however, when bail is set, the amount of bail does not appear to be affected by the defendant's gender. Evidence does not show clearly that the defendant's gender systematically affects prosecution, plea negotiation, or conviction decisions. In sentencing, however, women appear to receive systematic leniency except when they are convicted of high-severity offenses. Footnotes, tabular data, and about 140 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)