NCJ Number
205797
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 41 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2004 Pages: 130-155
Date Published
May 2004
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This study reconceptualizes the theories of economic marginality and liberation as complementary explanations capable of explaining female crime patterns.
Abstract
The two theories of liberation and economic marginality as explanations for crime have competed in the literature, with empirical results generally favoring the economic marginality thesis. The authors argue that the liberation thesis should not be eschewed in favor of the economic marginality thesis; rather the two explanations should be combined into a more complete explanation for female offending. The economic marginality thesis holds that the economic marginality of women is largely responsible for the crimes they commit, which are overwhelmingly nonviolent property offenses that are economic in nature. Thus, declines in female status, particularly their economic status, will lead to increases in female crime. On the other hand, the liberation thesis contends that gains in female’s social structural positions will lead to increases in female crime. While there is moderate empirical support for the economic marginality thesis, little is known about how female liberation affects female crime. Pooled time series GLS regression analyses were performed on data from 10 countries: Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Greece, Panama, Portugal, Italy, Chile, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The dependent variable was the national adult conviction rate, by gender, and the independent variables were various measures of general and sex-specific social and economic characteristics, such as female employees in industry and wages and salaries. Overall, the results indicated that social and economic conditions affected female and male criminality differently. Patterns of male employment significantly affect conviction rates for females, but female employment patterns exerted only moderate influence on male conviction rates. This suggests that female crime patterns are affected by the economic and social position of both sexes. Results support the argument that the economic marginality of women is due in part to the liberation of women when the expectation of female independence is not consistent with women’s actual social and economic circumstances. Future research should apply this theoretical model to different types of crime. Tables, notes, references