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Violence Against Women and Women's Criminality: Jail or Justice

NCJ Number
234874
Author(s)
Beth Ritchie Ph.D.
Date Published
2011
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This videotape contains a presentation discussing the topic of violence against women and women's involvement in criminal activities.
Abstract
This 55 minute videotape, part of the National Institute of Justice's Perspectives on Crime and Justice Lecture Series, contains a presentation by Dr. Beth Richie, professor of Sociology from the University of Illinois at Chicago discussing her work evaluating the connection between violence against women and women's involvement in criminal activities. Dr. Richie's presentation is based on a series of studies she has conducted examining the rate of victimization of incarcerated women to non-incarcerated women. Dr. Richie notes in her presentation that women who are victims of violence are confined not just by institutions, but also by addictions, abuse, poverty, research agendas and methods, as well as procedures, policies, and institutional practices that lead to jail. Her work indicates that women who are victims of violence are more likely to be women of color, low-income, have serious substance abuse problems, have minor children, and live in neighborhoods with no income opportunities or mental health services. Dr. Richie argues that current public policy regarding violence against women has actually limited the justice that these women receive, with the women being constrained not just by jails and institutions, but also by criminal justice policies. A question and answer period followed Dr. Richie's presentation.