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Female offenders are often perceived as victims who commit crimes as a self-defense mechanism or as criminal deviants whose actions strayed from typical 'womanly' behavior. Such cultural norms for violence exist in our gendered society and there has been scholarly debate about how male and female offenders are perceived and how this perception leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This debate is primarily based upon theories associated with stereotypes and social norms and how these prescriptive norms can influence both public and criminal justice response. Scholars in psychology, sociology, and criminology have found that female offenders are perceived differently than male offenders and this ultimately leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This interdisciplinary book provides an evidence based approach of how female offenders are perceived in society and how this translates to differential treatment within the criminal justice system and explores the ramifications of such differences. Quite often perceptions of female offenders are at odds with research findings. This book will provide a comprehensive evidence-based review of the research that is valuable to laypersons, researchers, practitioners, advocates, treatment providers, lawyers, judges, and anyone interested in equality in the criminal justice system.
List of contents
Introduction.- The Social Construction of Norms: How Social Media Depicts Female Offenders.- Female Sexual Aggression on College Campuses: Prevelence, Correlates, and Perceptions.- Effects of Victim Gender, Age, and Sexuality on Perceptions of Sexual Assaults Committed by Women.- Intimate Partner Violence: Examining Evidence of Gender Symmetry.- Partner Abuse in Context: Control Tactics, Dominance, and the Role of Gender.- Genders Compared: How Perceptions of Dangerousness and Legal Intervention Differ by Gender.- The Impact of Familial Paternalism on Sentencing Decisions.- References.- Index.
About the author
Dr. Brenda Russell is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Penn State Berks. She received her Ph.D at St. Louis University. Her scholarly and teaching interests include psychology and law, perceptions of victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, homicide defendants, and the social psychological and cognitive aspects of jury decision making. She is particularly interested in how gender and sexual orientation play a role in evaluating defendants in cases of domestic violence, rape, sexual coercion, bullying, and sexual harassment. Her research on domestic violence can be seen in her book entitled Battered Woman Syndrome as a Legal Defense: History, Effectiveness, and Implications (see more info). Dr. Russell also serves as consultant and program evaluator for various federal and state educational, law enforcement, justice, and treatment programs.
Summary
Female offenders are often perceived as victims who commit crimes as a self-defense mechanism or as criminal deviants whose actions strayed from typical ‘womanly’ behavior. Such cultural norms for violence exist in our gendered society and there has been scholarly debate about how male and female offenders are perceived and how this perception leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This debate is primarily based upon theories associated with stereotypes and social norms and how these prescriptive norms can influence both public and criminal justice response. Scholars in psychology, sociology, and criminology have found that female offenders are perceived differently than male offenders and this ultimately leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This interdisciplinary book provides an evidence based approach of how female offenders are perceived in society and how this translates to differential treatment within the criminal justice system and explores the ramifications of such differences. Quite often perceptions of female offenders are at odds with research findings. This book will provide a comprehensive evidence-based review of the research that is valuable to laypersons, researchers, practitioners, advocates, treatment providers, lawyers, judges, and anyone interested in equality in the criminal justice system.
Additional text
From the reviews:
“This book is a fine introduction to the literature and the controversies surrounding perception of female offenders. It is available both in print and as an e-book. … Researchers entering this area should also find the book to be a useful resource text, especially in combination with the PASK, and, for clinical professionals who deal with female offenders, it is an excellent continuing education experience that can bring them closer to the empirical foundations of their work.” (Thomas E. Schacht, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 58 (35), August, 2013)
Report
From the reviews:
"This book is a fine introduction to the literature and the controversies surrounding perception of female offenders. It is available both in print and as an e-book. ... Researchers entering this area should also find the book to be a useful resource text, especially in combination with the PASK, and, for clinical professionals who deal with female offenders, it is an excellent continuing education experience that can bring them closer to the empirical foundations of their work." (Thomas E. Schacht, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 58 (35), August, 2013)
