| NCJ Number: |
192592  |
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| Title: |
Battered Women Receive Prison Sentences Rather Than Purple Hearts |
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| Journal: |
Domestic Violence Report Volume:7 Issue:2 Dated:December/January 2002 Pages:17,28,29 |
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| Author(s): |
Nancy Lemon |
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| Date Published: |
2002 |
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| Page Count: |
3 |
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| Type: |
Legislation/Policy Analysis |
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| Format: |
Article |
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| Language: |
English |
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| Country: |
United States of America |
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| Annotation: |
Using a case study from the mid-1970's in California, this paper
discusses how female victims of domestic violence have been
treated by the criminal justice system, along with the progress
that has been made and what still must be done to help victims of
domestic violence.
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| Abstract: |
The woman in the case study tried every effort to find safety for
herself and her children away from her abusing partner, but he
persisted in tracking her down and threatening to injure or kill
family members who tried to protect her. No shelters or community
resources were available to help her. Out of fear of being killed
by her partner, she shot and killed him. The prosecutor charged
her with first-degree murder, a charge that is still being used
in cases in which a domestic-violence victim kills the abusing
partner. The jury found the woman guilty of manslaughter, and the
judge sentenced her to felony probation, but with no counseling
or other rehabilitative services. After being convicted of a
drunk-driving charge, she was sentenced to prison while being
pregnant with her third child from a subsequent non-abusive
partner. She gave birth in prison, and the baby was taken from
her to stay with her sister. After serving a few years in prison,
she and her three children had the opportunity to live together
and start to heal from their traumatic years. She is off parole
now, has worked hard to become a nurse, and hopes to work with
pregnant substance abusers. This article discuses the need for
mother-infant prison programs and the need to address the
situations of hundreds of battered women in prison with life
sentences for defending themselves against intolerable and
life-threatening abuse.
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| Main Term(s): |
Criminal Justice System Response to Victims |
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| Index Term(s): |
Battered woman syndrome; Case studies; Children of battered women; Children of incarcerated offenders; Domestic assault; Female inmates; Justifiable homicide |
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To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=192592 |
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