NCJ Number
52668
Date Published
1978
Length
123 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF 50 FEMALE MURDERERS INCARCERATED AT THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN WAS CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE PROCESSES LEADING TO FEMALE HOMICIDE INVOLVING THEIR MATES AND CHILDREN.
Abstract
A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE CONSIDERS THE STATISTICS ON WOMEN AND MURDER, THE CRIMINALITY OF WOMEN, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AMONG BLACK WOMEN, AND FEMALE MURDERERS. STUDY SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: CHILD MURDERERS AND MATE MURDERERS. THEY WERE INTERVIEWED INDIVIDUALLY AND THEIR CASE FILES WERE REVIEWED. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EXPLORED THE OFFENDERS' RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR VICTIMS RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, PERCEPTIONS OF MURDER, EXPERIENCES WITH VIOLENCE, AND ATTITUDES ABOUT FEMININITY AND MURDER. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT WOMEN MURDERERS KILL THEIR MATES OR THEIR CHILDREN AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES: (1) WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MATE OR CHILD IS FELT TO BE DIRECTLY AND OVERTLY DESTRUCTIVE TO THEM AND THEIR SENSE OF IDENTITY AS A WOMAN; (2) WHEN THEY FEEL THEY CANNOT SHARE THEIR CONCERNS AND THUS GET ADEQUATE SUPPORT AND HELP FROM OTHER SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS OR COMMUNITY RESOURCES; (3) WHEN THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OTHER PERCEIVED ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION AND FIND THEM NOT TO BE VIABLE; (4) WHEN THEY HAVE REDEFINED AND REINTERPRETED THEIR NEGATIVE SITUATION IN A WAY THAT CALLS FOR ACTION NOT PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED POSSIBLE. IMPLICATIONS ARE DRAWN FROM STUDY RESULTS FOR THE POLICE ROLE IN HANDLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, FOR HOMICIDE PREVENTION MEASURES, AND FOR POSTCRIME TREATMENT. STUDY INSTRUMENTS AND BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ARE APPENDED.