WOMEN AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
WOMEN AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM by Katherine van Wormer and Clemens Bartollas, University of Northern Iowa. Published 2000, 244 pp., Paper, ISBN: 0-205-29457-X , $26.67, ©Allyn & Bacon, A Pearson Education Company, 160 Gould Street, Needham Heights, MA 02494.
SUMMARY:
Women and the Criminal Justice System focuses heavily on gender and ethnic diversity and on the strengths of oppressed people, especially women of color. A wide range of issues are covered, from the rate of early childhood sexual abuse victimization in female inmates, to instances of male prison-guard-on-female-inmate rape, to the rate of women lawyers achieving partnerships in their firms. The authors provide a wealth of recent data drawn from official and international human rights sources. The final section includes text and personal interview materials devoted to the justice occupations records of women's progress and setbacks in entering the traditionally male-dominated fields of policing, the law, and corrections.
The authors introduce readers to the empowerment approach--a belief that if people are given half a chance, they can draw on their own resources to heal from the past and build for the future. This empowerment approach is already prominent in the social work field and widely used in victim treatment programs for working with female offenders.
FEATURES:
·Integrates ethnic and racial content to reflect the diversity in the field.
·Develops the empowerment approach to criminal justice practice---a critical element in working with female victims and offenders. Specific guidelines provided for victim assistance counseling.
·Features firsthand interviews of women working in the criminal justice field, direct quotes from women in prison, revealing the feelings from both sides of the correctional institution.
·Presents shocking facts on sexual abuse of female prisoners and significant coverage of rape and wife abuse.
·Describes how female offenders, a majority of who
m are women of color, have been affected by the forces of racism, sexism, and classism in society.
I.
INTRODUCTION
1. Gender, Patriarchy, and Social Control. The Study of Crime and the Male Perspective. Feminist Theories. Oppression, Patriarchal Society, and the Criminal Justice System. Gender, Class, and Race and Women in the Criminal Justice System. The Empowerment Perspective.
II.
WOMEN CRIMINALS
2. Women in Crime. Explanations of Female Crime. Extent and Nature of Female Crime. Women and Drug Offenses.
3. The Prison Environment. History of the Women's Place. The Population Profile. Prison Structure. Attitudes toward Women in Prison. Degrading Practices. Inmate Litigation. Women on Death Row. Innovative Programs.
III.
WOMEN AS VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS
4. Rape. Historical Overview. Prevalence. Impact of the Mass Media. Types of Rape. Criminal Justice Response. Psychological Trauma. Treatment and Empowerment.
5. Wife and Partner Abuse. Historical Overview. Nature and Scope of the Problem. Dynamics of Intimate Abuse. Marital Rape. Murder-Suicide. Women Who Kill Their Husbands/Partners. Theories of Partner Abuse. The Substance Abuse Connection. The Psychology of Male Abuse. Criminal Justice Process. Human Rights Issues. Empowerment.
IV.
WOMEN AS PROFESSIONALS
6. Women in Law Enforcement. A History of Women in Policing. Comparison of Male and Female Officers' Job Performance. Gender, Race, and Culture. Success in a Different Career Path. Legal Protections.
7. Women in the Legal Profession. History of Women in Law. Law School Socialization. Patriarchal Nature of the World of Law. Legal Practice: Struggles in a Man's World. Race, Class, and Gender. Mass Media Images. Strengths of Women Attorneys. Significance of Women's Entrance into the Law.
8. Women in Corrections. History of Women in Corrections. Women Probation Officers. Women Wardens. The Correctional Counselor. The Female Correctional Officer.
9. Summary and New Directions for the Future. Theme of Gender, Class, and Race. Theme of Multiple Oppression of Gender, Class, and Race. Theme of Male-Oriented Social Construction of Knowledge. Importance of Social Context. Empowerment of Women Involved with the Justice System. Future Trends.