Pervading the chapters of this book is the feminist view that patriarchal society, in which there is an unequal distribution of power and privilege between males and females, contributes to the nature of women's criminality, victimization, and involvement in criminal justice occupations. Through discussions of various issues about female offenders and their crimes, the chapters recognize the importance of gender in prescribing behavior and how gender interacts with race and class. Chapters address theories of female crime, with attention to violent crime and criminal justice policy toward women who abuse alcohol and other drugs. Four chapters consider crimes against women, with attention to domestic assault, sexual assault, corporate violence against women, and violence against women in the context of universal human rights and international law. Seven chapters on the impact of gender on law, criminal justice processing, and criminal justice occupations include discussions of how battered women who kill their abusers are treated by the criminal justice system, the increasing trend toward incarcerating women under punitive drug laws, and how women have fared in policing and correctional occupations. Chapter references, notes, and discussion questions