NCJ Number
183639
Date Published
2000
Length
255 pages
Annotation
After chapters on female offenders and female crime victims, this book discusses females in criminal justice professions (lawyers, police officers, and correctional personnel).
Abstract
The book is divided into four parts. Part I provides an overview of the authors' study of how the law, social control, and justice have affected women. A discussion of race, gender, and class discrimination is presented from the perspective of feminist theory. Empowerment theory is offered as a guiding framework for the chapters that follow. Part II profiles the world of female offenders and their crimes, addictions, and incarceration. The interconnection of substance abuse, personal involvement with men in the drug world, and the criminal justice process are explored. All the chapters in this part present the latest government statistics on crime prevalence and population profiles. In Part III women are viewed as victims/survivors. Two forms of victimization, rape and wife/partner abuse, are discussed in terms of male dominance, insecurity, and power (powerlessness). The authors present the cases of women who have been victimized. They discuss how their anger and determination got them through difficult times and how they wrestled with the authorities to obtain justice and peace of mind. Guidelines are provided for counselors and victim assistance program providers in their work with victims of rape and domestic abuse. Part IV, women as professionals, surveys the field of criminal justice, first by reviewing the history of women in law enforcement, law, and corrections. The contemporary scene is presented through a discussion of women's professional progress against a backdrop of discrimination, their contributions to the field, and the empowerment of their clients. The role of sexual harassment as a control mechanism, keeping women out of the "old boys' club," is then explored. Chapter summaries and references, as well as a subject index