Criminology Essay

Criminology as a genre is defined as the scientific study of crime, as well as its causes, law enforcement interaction, criminal behavior, and means of prevention. In its own way criminology is the history of humanity. As long as people have been on earth there has been criminal activity. Much like most other work atmospheres, it was a male dominated field. A woman seeking to work in criminology was unheard of. Men filled the jobs as police officers, lawyers, judges, and politicians. However, in the 1860s Belva Lockwood became determined to pave the way for women in criminology. As a women’s rights activist, she became one of the most influential women in criminology.

Belva Lockwood graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor’s Degree

She used this to address the issue of women’s rights to work the same job as men. She also wrote several articles in which she discussed the struggle for women in the workplace. In the 1880s and 90s, the State Department selected her to be a delegate at a gathering in Switzerland called the Congress of Charities. For several years to come she spoke on world peace, and in 1912 she retired from practicing law. A few years before her death she traveled to Europe to give on last speech to women, encouraging them to continue her life’s work of obtaining women’s rights in a male dominated world. After nearly 40 years of advocation for women and practicing law she passed away in 1917, just three years shy of seeing women obtain the right to vote.

Belva Lockwood’s legacy continues today. Not only did she open opportunities within the criminology community, but she also gave a voice to women in all areas of work. Today’s women in law enforcement, the courts system, and politics owe their careers to women like Belva Lockwood. She tirelessly paved the way for women and minorities. She would be proud to see how may influential women dominate the criminology work