Application: Women Offenders and Types of Crimes

Application: Women Offenders and Types of Crimes

Conflicting statistics exist related
to women offenders. The number of women in the prison system, on parole, and on
probation has increased steadily since the 1990s (Glaze, 2010). According to
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (2010), however, women comprised only about
25% of all arrests in the United States in 2010 and are only 18% of the total
correctional population. The latter might be due to the fact that women are
less likely to commit violent offences that result in correctional sentences.
But why do women comprise only 18% of the correctional population when 25% of
all arrests are women? This leads to questions related to differential
treatment between women and men offenders in the criminal justice system at the
law enforcement, court, and/or correctional levels.

For this Assignment, you think about
types of crimes that women offenders are more likely to commit. Also, you
consider the treatment of women compared to men in the criminal justice system.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

• Briefly describe two types of crimes that are more likely to be
  committed by women than men. Reference the FBI web resource listed in this
  week’s Learning Resources.
• Explain possible reasons each type of crime is more likely to be
  committed by women than men.
• Explain how women offenders may be treated differently than men
  offenders in the criminal justice system at the law enforcement, court,
  and/or correctional level(s).
• For your two examples, explain possible reasons for the
  differential treatment.

Two to three pages with at least three references….

It is important that you cover all the topics identified in the
assignment. Covering the topic does not mean mentioning the topic BUT
presenting an explanation from the readings for this class

To get maximum points you need to follow the requirements listed for
this assignments 1) look at the page limits 2) review and follow APA rules
3) create subheadings to identify the key sections you are presenting and
4) Free from typographical and sentence construction errors.

Readings

• Course Text: Investigating
  Difference: Human and Cultural Relations in Criminal Justice
• Chapter 11, “Women’s
  Difference in the Criminal Justice System: Constructions of Victims,
  Offenders, and Workers”

• Article: Covington,
  S. S. (2007). Women and the criminal justice system. Women’s Health
  Issues, 17(4), 180–182. 
  • Article: Federal
    Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). Crime statistics. Retrieved
    December 13, 2011, from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/crimestats
  • Article:
    Flemke, K. (2009). Triggering rage: Unresolved trauma in women’s lives. Contemporary
    Family Therapy: An International Journal, 31(2), 123–139. 
    • Article: National
      Criminal Justice Reference Service. (2011). Women & girls in the
      criminal justice system—Facts and figures. Retrieved from http://www.ncjrs.gov/spotlight/wgcjs/facts.html
    • Article: Spjeldenes,
      S., & Goodkind, S. (2009). Gender differences and offender reentry: A
      review of the literature. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation,
      48(4), 314–335.
      • Article:
        Buell, M. (2006). Improving outcomes for women involved in the criminal
        justice system. Corrections Today, 68(6), 94–96.