2. Definition if key concepts
2.1. Female crime
Female crime can be defined as crimes committed by women and this type of crime classification derive from a gender standpoint (Meixiang, 2011:197). Furthermore, female crime is a topic which has been narrowly researched because female offender can be described as invisible, due to the low numbers of female crime statistics in the criminal justice system (Hudson, 2010:1). Female offenders are considered by some to be feeble-minded and to have acted due to poverty or uncontrollable circumstances (Pistorius, 2012:7). According to Pistorius (2012:7), this viewpoint of female offenders has caused police officers, judges and other law enforcement officials to take pity on female offenders. Consequently,
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This assessment determines the offender’s susceptibility in terms of reoffending, dangerousness to the public, readiness to be integrated back into society as well as readiness to be a law abiding citizen and probability of escaping supervision or parole (Guay Quimet & Proulx, 2004:330-331; Simourd 2004:306-307). Furthermore, a pre-parole assessment refers to the assessment of an individual’s program dedication, intervention progress as well as risk of reoffending which is used to accommodate the Parole Board and probation officers (Alexander, 2000:118-119).
2.3. Criminal analysis
Criminal analysis can be defined as a law enforcement function which is used by criminologists to systematically analyse patterns and trends used by an offender (Boba, 2005:5). A criminal analysis is primarily compiled by making use of specific crime scene characteristics in order to identify possible personality, behavioral traits as well as characteristics of an offender (Kocsis, 2007:89). Moreover, the information gathered through the crime scene analysis can be employed by law enforcement officials, to lower the amount of current suspects and close in on more appropriate offenders (Kocsis, 2007:89).
3. Nature and extent of female crime in South
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However, female crime has increased gradually in more recent years, causing concern for countries all over the world, including South Africa. Statistics related to female crimes in South Africa is scares; however statistics for incarcerated female offenders are useful in understanding the extent of female crimes. The number of female offender reported in the years 2013 to 2014 was 3495 and this number has gradually risen (Anon, 2015:28). In 2015 the average percentage of female offenders in South African prisons was 3915 whereas male offenders in prison were a staggering 153226 (Anon, 2015:28). Furthermore, Gauteng was reported to have the highest number of female offenders in the year 2015, with 895 sentenced female offenders (Anon, 2015:29). In contrast to the high levels of female inmates in Gauteng, the lowest number of female inmates was recorder in Eastern Cape with a number of 286 female inmates (Anon, 2015:29). According to Meixiang (2011:197), although female crimes are still lower than the crimes committed by males, the recent increase in female crimes has caused concern all around the
An important issue that needs to be addressed within the Central Justice System is to have a reduction in the number of offenders in order to keep both society safe and reduce the population of prisons to an absolute minimum. A tool that is being widely used in order to manage and reduce recidivism rates among the average offender is the RNR model, however when it is used to treat different minority groups problems can arise as they all require different strategies in order to deal with their needs and make the model work. This essay will prove that the RNR model has the ability to reduce recidivism when it has been modified in order to accompany for the minority group of female offenders as well as highlight what challenges this specific group
Victor Rios states in his well-renowned book Punished, “In 1924, sociologist Edwin Sutherland discussed how boys were taught to be “rough and tough”, rendering them more likely than girls to become delinquent.” (Rios, 2011, p. 131) This quotation alone means that for almost 100 years, if not longer, boys have had a criminality stigma attached to them just because of their gender. Not only is it completely out of anybody’s control to pick their gender, it is also extremely sexist to say that boys are more likely than girls to become deviant in behavior. There are numerous statistics that prove how men are more often targeted than women when it comes to criminal acts, as well as how they are perceived to be more violent and less likely to comply
In order to demonstrate that equal outcomes for women do require different approaches within the criminal justice system, this essay intends to look at the behavioural and situational differences between female and male offenders. It will highlight the inadequate facilities available for female prisoners. It will also look at the historical differences between crimes committed by males and females and the growing trend of women involvement in drug offences. This essay will also examine the status of mental health of women within the criminal justice system and explore if this issue is more prevalent amongst female offenders.
He claimed that the statistics seriously under-estimated the extent of female criminality. From an examination of official figures in a number of different countries he claimed to have identified certain crimes that are usually committed by women but are particularly likely to be unreported. Pollak went on to give reasons as to why there should be an under-recording of female crime. 1. He argues that the police, magistrates and other law enforcement officials tend to be men.
Between 1991 and 2000, arrest rates for girls increased more than arrests for boys, and by 2004 girls accounted for 30 percent of all juveniles taken into custody. Researchers have yet to establish if this trend is representative of a quantifiable increase in female juvenile crime, or if social attitudes and law enforcement response to girl’s delinquency have influenced the increase (Zahn, “Causes” 1-3). Juvenile crime overall has been declining since reaching its peak in the late 1990’s, yet the rates of girls have not experienced the same rate of decline when compared to boys.
In conclusion, female prisoners experience differently compared to male prisoners. The differences of the pains women suffer in imprisonment, include the separation from family and the adaptation of the prison environment. Upon female inmates release, they also suffer a second punishment such as the effect of family reunification and the struggle of mental and physical health problems. Yet the criminal justice system is ill-equipped to deal with these
Classical and contemporary theory helps to explain gendered crime patterns. The feminist school of criminology argue criminology and criminal theory is very masculine, all studies into criminal behaviour, have been developed from male statistics and tested on males. Very little research is conducted into female criminality, this may be because women who commit crime are more likely to be seen as evil or mentally ill rather than criminal, this is because women are labe...
While all feminist theorists share a common focus on gender inequality, there are differing views on the source of the problem and the ultimate solution. Liberal Feminists Freda Adler and Rita argued that sociological factors, not physiology, best explain women’s criminality. There is a strong relationship between women’s emancipation and the increase in female crime rates. As women become more liberated and become more involved in full time jobs, they are more likely to engage in the types of crime that men commit. Thrasher, a leading exponent of the social disorganization perspective, felt that girls and women committed less crime because they were more closely supervised by boys and men. These arguments lacked any factual support.
When the criminal justice system was established, one of the goals was to create neutrality and fairness between the sexes. However, during those times, women were not known for behaving in such manners. If a woman did in fact take part in any criminal activities, those crimes would have been blames on an individual that could of not fought for themselves. Even though people might believe that there is no such thing as ‘stereotyping’ in the criminal justice system, it is quite obvious that women are constantly being looked down upon because of their sex. In general, women tend to be treated like fragile objects that could break at any moment; the truth is that women can behave like men. Society stereotypes women; and, the criminal justice system is no different. When it comes to the stereotyping of women in the criminal justice system, society presents women who are indeed capable of committing such crimes as victims because by doing do they can achieve a lesser sentence or if necessary a longer sentence that will protect them from any harm.
Jewkes, R. (2012) Rape Perpetration: A review. Pretoria, Sexual Violence Research Initiative. Retrieved April 21, 2014 , from http://www.svri.org/RapePerpetration.pdf
There are many notions that must be understood prior to studying what influences the perpetration of rapes in prisons, for example, studying the context behind each scenario or case. However, there is one notion that is inevitable to disregard and that is, the consideration of ideals of punitive
Criminology is the study of crime and criminals. In criminology, crime data is gathered in many different ways. All of these ways are part of the National Incident-Based Reporting system, which is a program that collects data on each respond crime incident (CITATION). There are Primary Sources of collecting crime data, and Secondary Sources of collecting crime data. Under the Primary Sources of collecting crime data are the National Crime Victimization Survey, Self Report Surveys, and the Uniform Crime Reports. These reporting surveys and official records gather information for Criminologists about all types of crimes. Some examples of these are homicide, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, arson, burglary, and larceny. Criminologists use these also to measure the nature and extent of the crime, along with behavior and personalities of the offenders. Secondary Sources of collecting crime data are Experimental Research, Observational and Interview Research, Data Mining, Crime Mapping, Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review, and Cohort Research. These gathering techniques gather informatio...
Criminal Investigative Analysis is an investigative tool used by law enforcement officials to help determine the unknown offender of a specific crime, usually involving violent crimes. The purpose of Criminal Investigative Analysis is to create a profile containing characteristics of the offender who committed a certain crime. Law enforcement then uses this profile to help determine a possible suspect that fits into that profile. The Criminal Investigative Analysis has been crucial in solving some very large cases, where law enforcement had no leads and used this tool to come up with a possible suspect. The media has influenced the view that the public has between what the media portrays how law enforcement conducts an investigation
South Africa has been plagued with a predominantly heterosexual HIV epidemic, the key in all of this being the differences in which men and women position themselves and act as social beings. These gender differences can take many forms but commonly lies in the discrepancies of power, gender power inequity in relationships can cause intimate partner violence, which places women in an enhanced risk of HIV infections. In dominantly patriarchal society, South Africa has a high rate of rape has been identified as the highest of any Interpol member country, with a high number
Include such areas as Tsolo in the Eastern Cape, Thabong in the Free State, Katlehong in Gauteng, Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal, KaNyamazana in Mpumalanga, Mafikeng in the North West, Galeshewe in the Northern Cape, Thohoyandou in the Northern Province and Mitchells's Plain in the Western Cape. We will therefore make multi-disciplinary interventions in these areas, starting with a few pilot areas, drawing in all spheres of government and engaging the people themselves in an offensive to ensure that we reduce the levels of crime in these areas which are characterized by a high incidence of crime (Mbeki: 1999).