Abstract
Understanding societal perceptions and social norms with female offenders is a complex and challenging endeavor. Adherence to traditional gender roles, heteronormativity, and the historical marginalization and victimization of women shape our perceptions of female offenders. These factors contribute to bias within the criminal justice system, often manifested through unequal application of laws and differential treatment of women throughout the criminal justice system. We address the recent rise in female incarceration, the multifaceted nature of female offending, and how societal norms influence the criminal justice system. This chapter introduces readers to the organization and content of this first volume, which highlights issues in female delinquency, aggression, and adult offenders of intimate partner violence and sexual abuse. We emphasize the need to challenge stereotypes and social norms to achieve a more accurate understanding of female offending and promote gender equality while improving criminal justice response.
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Russell, B., Torres, C. (2023). Introduction. Moving Beyond Perceptions: Unveiling the Complexities of Female Offenders in a Rapidly Changing World. In: Russell, B., Torres, C. (eds) Perceptions of Female Offenders, Vol. 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42007-8_1
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