Women Criminals, Sociology of

Examining theories of why women commit crimes in the United States reveals some remarkable changes over time, although some schools of thought have been perpetuated throughout the centuries. As research has revealed more about why women commit crimes, theories have progressed from the supernatural and biological realm to consider gender roles and socioeconomics.

The genesis of thought about women criminals in the United States has its roots in European history. In classical Greece and Rome and medieval Europe, when a primary function of women ...