NCJ Number
171097
Journal
Women and Criminal Justice Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: (1997) Pages: 61-85
Date Published
1997
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Patterns of female criminality and the criminal justice system response in Israel over the last four decades were examined, with emphasis on the implications for the role of gender in crime and the criminal justice response.
Abstract
The analysis used insights from a feminist perspective. The data came from women's criminal records during 1952-89 and from criminal justice system records during 1970-89. Results revealed that the crime patterns of Israeli women and the criminal justice response to their transgression have a remarkable resemblance to those discerned in other western countries. Female involvement in each type of crime was low. In addition, female involvement in violence has remained stable over the years. Furthermore, the proportion of female offenders has increased rapidly in fraud and economic offenses and gradually in property crimes and drug law offenses. The criminal justice system is reluctant to incarcerate female offenders but willing to imprison women who violate the moral order. However, the likelihood of imprisonment for female offenders increases somewhat with additional law violations. Findings indicated that feminist insights and explanations suggested in other western countries are consistent with findings about women in crime and justice in Israel. Tables and 74 references (Author abstract modified)