NCJ Number
143220
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1993) Pages: 136-162
Date Published
1993
Length
27 pages
Annotation
Based primarily on tape-recorded interviews with 65 women who were arrested or incarcerated for a violent street crime, this study examined the elements involved in women's perpetration of robbery and aggravated assault.
Abstract
The variables examined included motive, victim precipitation, victim-offender relationship, accomplices, precipitating circumstances, preparation, and use of weapons. The data show significant differences in the perpetration of violent crimes. Robbery was more often planned, more impersonal, and more instrumental than assault. Assault, on the other hand, was an impulsive criminal offense; however, it was not totally irrational. Each woman's actions were a function of the victim's behavior and the implications of that behavior for defending one's well-being or public self-concept. The data indicate that lifestyle factors (e.g., peer association, serious drug use) were associated with participation in robbery. The findings also suggest that the women's lifestyles and routine activities increased their probability of exposure to situations that were associated with more serious disputes. In addition to differences in the underlying motivation or meaning of violence, there were apparently different behavioral patterns within the study samples. Women involved in robbery, particularly both robbery and assault, were disproportionately involved in other criminal activities, notably drug sales, and were more heavily addicted to drugs. 4 tables and 64 references