NCJ Number
45548
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE EXTENT AND TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT IN SERIOUS CRIME OF ISRAELI WOMEN BETWEEN 1960 AND 1974 ARE EXAMINED; A CROSSCULTURAL ANALYSIS USING AMERICAN DATA WAS PERFORMED.
Abstract
CRIME STATISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES REVEAL THAT SINCE 1967 -- THE PERIOD IN WHICH THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT EXPANDED AND GAINED CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY -- THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN COMMITTING PROPERTY, WHITE-COLLAR, AND FINANCIAL OFFENSES, AND A SLIGHT DECLINE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN COMMITTING CRIMES OF VIOLENCE. IN ORDER TO SEE IF THE SAME PATTERNS WERE OCCURRING IN ISRAEL, FEMALE CRIME DATA FOR BOTH ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES ARE COMPARED. THE FIGURES SHOW THAT IN ISRAEL THE PROPORTION OF FEMALES CHARGED BEGINS TO DECLINE AFTER 1971. IN BOTH THE U.S. AND ISRAEL, THE PROPORTION OF FEMALE OFFENDERS IS MUCH LOWER THAN IS THEIR REPRESENTATION IN THE SOCIETY. THE PROPORTION OF ISRAELI WOMEN SUSPECTS WHO WERE CHARGED BETWEEN 1960 AND 1974 WAS ALSO ANALYZED BY TYPE OF OFFENSE: OVER THE 15-YEAR PERIOD, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CONSISTENT INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALES IN ANY OF THE OFFENSE CATEGORIES. THE FEMALE WORKFORCE STATISTICS FOR THE UNITED STATES FROM 1960 THROUGH 1974 INDICATE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A BIG INCREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, AND THE INCREASE HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY MARKED SINCE 1967. IN 1970, 42.6 PERCENT OF ALL ADULT WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES WERE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, COMPARED WITH 26.9 PERCENT OF ALL ISRAELI (JEWISH) MARRIED WOMEN. THUS THE FEMALE WORKFORCE DATA AND THE FEMALE CRIME STATISTICS IN ISRAEL BOTH FAIL TO SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS DURING THE PERIOD THAT SAW GREAT CHANGES IN THE UNITED STATES. THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE OF A NONSTATISTICAL NATURE THAT A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF ISRAELI WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN A MOVEMENT FOR THEIR LIBERATION. TABULAR DATA AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DAS)