Peer Review 2

Flash Reflection Two

1. Describe your personal thoughts and experiences on how women offend differently than men and contrast that with what is described in the course materials.

There have been many studies and statistics done on the male offenders throughout time but very little about the female offenders. Most of the traditional theories of crime focused mostly on male crime; very few focused on female crimes. Although most of the serious crimes are done by men, there are women who commit awful crimes as well. The spotlight has always been on men offenders until Lambroso and Ferrero attempted to investigate the nature of the female offenders. In 1895 Lombroso and Ferrero published The Female Offender. There are a lot of women who turn to crime and prostitution because they need to gain control over their lives after they have been abused during childhood. Many women who practice prostitution turn to that kind of lifestyle after escaping from an abusive household. Of course there are women who also commit murder and assaults. The Manson Women committed homicide numerous times under the influence of Charles Manson. Many times female offenders get away with offenses such as rape or assault because the men are shamed by society if they admit they have been raped by a woman. Since women are biologically weaker than men, men are expected to be able to defend themselves against a woman.

2. Consider the theories to explain  female criminality and offending  that were covered in this module. Which of them do you find the most convincing? Which is the least convincing? Why? Explain your answer for each theory you selected.

The theory I find most convincing is the life course theory. The life course theory suggests that the events that happened in someone’s life, from birth to death can provide insight as to why someone engages in crimes. Adolescence is seen as a crucial time in the development of offending behaviors. I find this theory most convincing because the events that happen in everyone’s life can have either a very positive or a very negative effect. Sometimes Bad thing that happen can either strengthen a person or weaken them to the point where they start turning to crime. Sometimes, kids who have been sexually harassed end up doing the same to others. Girls who commit offenses sometimes do so in order to be able to get shelter or food. A very traumatic life event can really change a person and it can make a person do things that normally they would’ve never done.

The theory I find least convincing is the power control theory. The power control theory suggests that boys are supervised less than girls and that they are encouraged to be more aggressive and ambitious than girls. This theory suggests that women will have a lower chance of taking part in criminal behavior due to lower opportunities. The theory also suggests that women raised in a patriarchal family structure are more law abiding and less likely to commit crimes. I find this theory least convincing because the more a person is controlled, the more that person wants to rebel. When a girl is always stopped from doing certain things while a boy is allowed to do it the girl will find a way to do it without the parents finding out. The more someone is controlled, the sneakier the person gets.

3. Trace the evolution of the typical Criminal Justice response to female  offenders  and the impact that feminism has had over that evolution.  Which of these evolutionary changes do you see as the most important for women and crime?  Why? Explain your choice. 

Since females offenders have been also studied and now we know women are just as capable of committing the same crimes as men are, women do not get away with their crimes as much anymore. It is important that female offenders get just as much punishment as men do when they commit crimes.