NCJ Number
115346
Date Published
1982
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study used Uniform Crime Report Data for 1965 through 1980 to compare male and female criminality and elucidate trends in female criminal behavior.
Abstract
Contrary to the view depicted by the media and embraced by many social scientists, these data do not show that the criminal activities of women are becoming similar to those of men in either kind or degree. Rather, arrest gains for women are limited largely to two offense categories -- larceny and fraud -- and the gains in these two categories appear to be due more to female arrests for traditionally female offenses such as shoplifting and passing bad checks. American women are not catching up with men in the commission of violent, traditionally masculine, serious, or white-collar crimes. Further, between 1965 and 1980, overall arrest rates for both males and females rose, with the rates in some crime categories increasing, others decreasing, and some remaining unchanged. The pattern of change was similar for both sexes, with large increases occurring only for larceny, fraud, driving under the influence, and narcotic offenses and decreases occurring for negligent manslaughter, sex offenses, gambling, offenses against the family, liquor law violations, drunkenness, disorderly conduct, vagrancy, and suspicion. These changes may reflect shifts in public attitudes and police practices, rather than in actual behaviors. These trends are consistent with those found in victimization and self-report studies and fail to provide support for the contention that the women's liberation movement has contributed to changing patterns of female criminality. 6 notes.