NCJ Number
29660
Date Published
1975
Length
292 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE CHANGING PATTERNS OF FEMALE CRIMINALITY IN AMERICA, IN WHICH THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES THE NEW FEMALE CRIMINAL AND RELATES THIS PHENOMENON TO SOCIAL FORCES SUCH AS FEMALE ASSERTIVENESS.
Abstract
IT IS A GENERALLY RECOGNIZED FACT THAT WOMEN ARE COMMITTING MORE CRIMES THAN BEFORE, AND MORE VIOLENT ONES - HOMICIDE, ARMED ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AND GANG VIOLENCE. IN SISTERS IN CRIME, THE AUTHOR HAS OVERCOME A DECADE OF RESISTANCE FROM TRADITIONAL THEORISTS, POLICE CHIEFS, JUDGES, AND PROBATION OFFICERS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF NEW SOCIAL FACTS. SHE REASSESSES THE SCOPE, DEPTH, AND IMPLICATIONS OF FEMALE CRIME AND SHOWS THAT THE EXCEPTION HAS BECOME THE RULE AS THOUSANDS OF WOMEN ARE STEPPING ACROSS THE IMAGINARY BOUNDARY WHICH ONCE SEPARATED CRIMES INTO 'MASCULINE' AND 'FEMININE' CATEGORIES. BASED ON ORIGINAL RESEARCH CONDUCTED OVER SEVERAL YEARS, THE AUTHOR EXPLAINS HOW THE RISING TIDE OF FEMALE ASSERTIVENESS HAS LED WOMEN TO BREAK OUT OF THE TRADITIONAL LIMITS OF PROSTITUTION AND SHOPLIFTING INTO MORE SERIOUS AND VIOLENT CRIMES. CHANGING PATTERNS IN THE FEMALE CRIMINAL AND HER RELATION TO THE LARGER SOCIAL FORCES IN OUR SOCIETY ARE EXAMINED, AND A VARIETY OF STEREOTYPES OF WOMEN AND CRIME, OF RACE AND CLASS, AND OF WEALTH AND POWER ARE CHALLENGED. THE TRADITIONAL MYTH OF THE GENETIC BASES OF THE PASSIVE FEMALE IS EXAMINED AND REJECTED. THE AUTHOR THEN EXPLORES SUCH AREAS AS THE 'NEW' CLASS OF PROSTITUTE, QUALITATIVE CHANGES IN FEMALE JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, WOMEN AND DRUG ABUSE, AND WOMEN IN CORRECTIONS. FINALLY, THE ROLE OF THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT IN CHANGING CRIME PATTERNS IS CONSIDERED. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEWS AND FIRSTPERSON ACCOUNTS BY FEMALE CRIMINALS ARE USED TO ILLUSTRATE THE AUTHOR'S OBSERVATIONS. (SNI ABSTRACT)