NCJ Number
12612
Journal
ISSUES IN CRIMINOLOGY Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (FALL 1973) Pages: 117-136
Date Published
1973
Length
20 pages
Annotation
USING THE FBI UNIFORM CRIME REPORT FOR 1970, THE AUTHOR ANALYZES FEMALE CRIME PATTERNS AND FINDS THAT CRIMINALITY TENDS TO CORRESPOND TO SEX ROLE DIFFERENCES.
Abstract
THE DATA SHOW THAT WOMEN TEND NOT TO BE ARRESTED FOR CRIMES THAT REQUIRE STEROTYPED MALE BEHAVIOR. WHEN THEY ARE ARRESTED ON SUCH CHARGES, IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAVE PLAYED SECONDARY, SUPPORTIVE ROLES. EVEN IN CRIMES WHERE WOMEN ARE MORE FREQUENTLY ARRESTED, THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE OFFENSE IS CLOSELY TIED TO THE FEMALE SEX ROLE. WHERE THE CRIME REQUIRES BEHAVIOR THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH EXPECTED FEMALE ROLES, WOMEN APPEAR TO MAKE UP A LARGE NUMBER OF THE PETTY CRIMINALS (FORGERY, FRAUD, EMBEZZLEMENT, PROSTITUTION, VAGRANCY, CURFEW, AND RUNAWAY). THERE SEEMS TO BE A TENDENCY IN THE LAW ITSELF TO CLASSIFY OFFENSES IN WAYS THAT CORRESPOND TO SEX DIFFERENCES. THIS PRINCIPLE OPERATES EVEN MORE OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE COMPARE MAJOR AND OTHER CRIMES. THOSE CLASSIFIED AS MAJOR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THEFT, ARE TYPICALLY ONES THAT REQUIRE INDEPENDENCE ON THE PART OF THE OFFENDER AND THE USE OF THREAT OF VIOLENCE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)