The Processing of Female Offenders Flashcards
What affects the formal processing of female offenders? (4)
gender bias, chivalry hypothesis, evil women hypothesis, gender-role expectations
What is the chivalry hypothesis?
male officers, less likely to issue citations at traffic stops, age race and behaviour affect it (yes sir, old women)
How do the police treat women? (3)
less likely to be investigated for serious delinquency, chivalrous treatment from male officers, more likely to be arrested in family violence cases
How does the prosecution treat women (pretrial stage)? (5)
more lenient treatment for women, no charges or charge reductions, seriousness of crime and criminal history affect sentence (less likely to benefit from chivalry), female youth offenders less likely to be prosecuted as adults, women as less dangerous and more rehabilitative
How are women treated in pretrial release (bail)? (2)
controlling for offense type/severity and criminal history, 30% less likely to be detained and receive lower bail amounts (more lenient to white women, not Indigenous women, women with children less likely to be detained unless violence is against the child)
how are women treated in sentencing? (5)
less likely to recidivate, better candidates for probation, if lenient treatment in pretrial stage they are likely to receive lenient sentencing, gender differences in jail sentences not prison sentences (offense type impacts gender and sentence length), Black women in US more harshly (overrepresentation)
How did processing affect the Michelle Carter Case?
culpability despite not being there (instant message and camera instead), treatment as youth offender, opted for bench trial as jury would hate her, given bail despite responsibility
How does race effect processing?
prior conviction: Black men have more interaction with police, each interaction increases risk of conviction
ties to community: not viewed as upstanding community members, labelled as flight risk (especially immigrants)
harsh early stages, lenient sentencing to make up for it
light skin tone = more lenient sentencing
Why are women convicted of violent offences? Is it affective?
goal: determine likelihood of violent reoffending, ascertain areas of therapeutic intervention to reduce risk
no valid risk assessment tool can asses women’s risk of violent recidivism
need gender information and culturally appropriate treatment
What are the effects of extralegal factors?
type of attorney: ability to hire private increases chance of pretrial release and linked to ability to afford bail
ties to community: women with dependent children are less likely to face prison time, single parenthood and pregnancy as rationale for reduced sentences if nonviolent
