Women Criminals, History of

Historically, female criminality has centered on women's sexuality, their mental capacity, and their status as property of men. A study of the history of women criminals uncovers societal constructs of womanhood, femininity, family, and work. In addition to ideologies of gender and family, [Page 1958]women criminals must be understood within ideologies of race, class, age, and immigration. Analyses reveal that societies codify their constructs and ideologies within their legal systems. Hence, the ideologies of women's role in society have dictated their status as ...