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                            Library & Multimedia
 Violence Against Women and Women's Involvement in Crime: Findings From Studies of Women in Prison (Video)
NCJ Number
              194095

Author(s)
          Beth E. Richie
Date Published

May 2002
Length
              0 pages
Publication Series
          NIJ Research in Progress Seminars
Annotation
              This is a video presentation of a report on NIJ-sponsored
(National Institute of Justice) research in progress that is
focusing on the prevalence, nature, and impact on criminal
offending of violent victimization of incarcerated women.
Abstract
              In addition to presenting findings to date from the study, the
researcher also briefly profiles three related research projects
in which she is involved. The sample of women interviewed for the
research consisted of 37 women inmates of the Cook County Jail
(Chicago, Illinois). Seventy percent of these women had been
physically abused in prior intimate relationships, with 55
percent having received significant injuries and 46 percent
having received medical treatment. For 35 percent of the abused
women, weapons of some type were used by the perpetrator. Seventy
percent of the abused women reported frequent arguments with
their abusers that led to physical altercations. Twenty-five
percent of the women reported having been sexually abused. Very
few of the women had sought police or social-service help to deal
with their abuse. They tended to mistrust the value or usefulness
of seeking help from formal institutions. Further, the women
lived in low-income neighborhoods with little social capital,
where exposure to criminal lifestyles was common. The women's
illegal activity was frequently related to threats of violence
against them from males who needed their assistance in committing
crimes. The threats were credible because of prior physical abuse
from these men. The women tended to remain in abusive
relationships and criminogenic neighborhoods because these were
familiar worlds, and there was no obvious support for the
development of an alternative lifestyle. These findings suggest
the need for the commitment of financial and social resources for
low-income communities, such that abused women can receive
resources for coping positively with various traumas. Three other
projects mentioned by the researcher are a study of public policy
barriers to re-entry after release, a qualitative study of the
offending patterns of girls in low-income communities, and
profiles of women who are resilient in adopting positive coping
mechanisms in responding to trauma. Questions from the studio
audience follow the presentation.
      
  
          Additional Details
Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored
    
  
  
Date Published: May 1, 2002
    
          Downloads
        
                      *No download available*

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      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Abused women
        Violence against Women
        Public policy
        Female
        Police social services



  
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