NCJ Number
58469
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE INCREASE IN CRIME BY FEMALES REFLECTS THE WIDER OPPORTUNITIES BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO WOMEN, INCLUDING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. STATISTICAL DATA AR PRESENTED WHICH SUPPORT THIS CONTENTION.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH CONSIDERABLE CAUTION MUST BE EMPLOYED WHEN USING OFFICIAL STATISTICS (ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS, ETC.) IN ESTIMATING TOTAL CRIME, THERE APPEARS TO BE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO WARRANT THREE GUARDED CONCLUSIONS ABOUT FEMALE CRIMINALITY. FIRST, WHILE THE FEMALE CRIME RATE HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THE MALE RATE, IT IS NOT AS LOW AS TRADITIONAL BELIEFS AND STATISTICS INDICATE. THE UNDERESTIMATION OF THE PROBLEM IS DUE IN PART TO SOCIETY'S RELUCTANCE TO REPORT, ARREST, AND PROSECUTE FEMALE CRIMINALS. SECONDLY, OUR CURRENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE IS TOO INCOMPLETE AND FRAGMENTARY TO PERMIT ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEFINITIVE THEORY EXPLAINING ALL SEX DIFFERENCES IN CRIME RATES. HOWEVER, THERE APPEARS TO BE A TENDENCY FOR THE SEX DIFFERENTIALS IN CRIME RATES TO BE GREATEST IN COUNTRIES WHERE WOMEN ARE HELD IN CLOSELY GUARDED SUBORDINATE STATUSES AND TO BE LEAST DISCREPANT IN SOCIETIES WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF SOCIAL FREEDOM FOR WOMEN. ALTHOUGH SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS MAY EXPLAIN A LARGE PART, IF NOT THE GREATER PART, OF THE DIFFERENTIAL CRIME RATES BETWEEN THE SEXES, CERTAIN INHERENT BIOLOGICAL FACTORS MUST ALSO BE CONSIDERED TO EXPLAIN THE LOWER RATE OF FEMALE INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMES OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, MURDER, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. FINALLY, VIRTUALLY ALL INDICATORS AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES SHOW FEMALES TO BE COMMITTING AND BEING ARRESTED FOR A MUCH GREATER AMOUNT OF CRIME THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. WHEREAS IN 1960, THE U.S. RATIO OF FEMALE ARRESTS TO MALE ARRESTS WAS ONE TO NINE, IN 1975 IT HAD DROPPED TO ONE TO FIVE. STATISTICAL TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).