The Treatment Of Women Within The Criminal Justice System

There have been many changes in the treatment of offenders by the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales, particularly the treatment of female offenders. The handling of women within the criminal justice system has been closely tied to their social characteristics, and to what might be described as their ‘social construction’. On the other hand, women who compromise more than half of the world’s population, account for only 15% of criminal activity and as a consequence, relatively little attention has been given to them. This essay will explore how this has changed from a historical point of view to modern times, with exploration from cross-culture comparisons and an overview of the treatments of females in prisons. The legal definition of crime is â€Å"an act of violation of a criminal law for which a punishment is prescribed; the person committing it must have intended to do so and must have done so without legally acceptable defence or justification† (Walsh Hemmens 2008:2). Alternatively, deviance is any social behaviour which departs from that regarded as ‘normal’ or socially acceptable within a society or social context (Jary Jary 1991:160). The underlining focus of my essay is The Criminal Justice System in England and Wales which is a key public service consisting of various bodies and individuals including: the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Her Majesty’s Court Service, National Offender Management Services (Probation and Prisons) and Youth Justice Board.Show MoreRelatedChallenges Faced By Female And Aboriginal Offenders Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pagesthe overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system also poses several concerns. Female offenders on the other hand have a higher risk of having administrative, and mental health issues. This paper will address both factions and their individual problems and the reform that is needed within the criminal justice system. Aboriginal offenders have a diverse set of challenges they face in their community, and in the prison system. There are many cases in which the community is involvedRead MoreWomen Of The Criminal Justice System1364 Words   |  6 Pagescreated to work with women in each stage of the criminal justice process. The three stages referred to within this organization are women who are at risk, are involved in the criminal justice system, and recovery and transition from institutions, to effectively reintegrate back into society (Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, 2012). The organization was established by Elizabeth Fry, 1839, who was deemed a significant advocate for humane treatment of women, specializing in women and children regardingRead MoreInjustice Is An Unfair Treatment1209 Words   |  5 Pagesdoesn’t speak up about unfair treatment, they are allowing injustice to infect everyone. The Webster dictionary definition states, â€Å"Injustice is an unfair treatment o r situation in which the rights of a person or a group of people are ignored (Merriam-Webster).† There are various examples of injustice in the Criminal Justice System, the occupation field, and the education system that negatively impact the citizens in America. To begin with, the Criminal Justice System is meant to protect citizensRead MoreCriminology And Sociology : Criminology1296 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween everyday people to vastly complex international or multinational relationships. Within this they attempt to understand the social processes; that is why humans think and behave in a certain way. Concepts and Theories of Criminology and Sociology: The generalisability problem is a concept within feminist criminology that adds women to male knowledge on crime, thereby the findings on men are generalised to women. This concept aims to create a neutral criminological theory that does not have anyRead MoreInjustice Is An Unfair Treatment1212 Words   |  5 Pagesdoesn’t speak up about unfair treatment, they are allowing injustice to infect everyone. The Webster dictionary definition states, â€Å"Injustice is an unfair treatment or situation in which the rights of a person or a group of people are ignored (Merriam-Webster).† There are various examples of injustice in the Criminal Justice System, the occupation field, and the education system that negatively impact the citizens in America. To begin with, the Criminal Justice System is meant to protect citizensRead MoreResearch Outline, Annotated Bibliography, and Sample Survey: Women in Prisons1365 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Question and Justification On average, women make up about 7 percent of the total federal and state incarcerated population in the United States. This has increased since the 1980s due to stricter and more severe laws that focus on recreational drug use, a lack of community programs, and fewer treatment centers available for outpatients (Zaitow and Thomas, eds., 2003). According to the National Womens Law Centers, women prisoners report a higher than statistically normal history of domesticRead MoreMental Health, Gender And Drug Addiction1236 Words   |  5 PagesDiscussion Within the analysis of the dissertation, it has been recognised that there were three key themes associated with my findings: mental health, gender and drug addiction. We will dis-cuss the three documents chosen and highlight the themes which occurred. Though gender didn’t appear as much in two of the documents, it has relevance to the dissertation and was titled within the MoJ document, which recorded a high degree of statistics relating to gender. Following on from the three themedRead MoreThe Importance Of Clinical Psychology Within The Correctional Setting1285 Words   |  6 Pagesin the future. However, women experience many barriers after being released, such as being treated as outcasts, an inability to find employment, being judged for their criminal behavior, and experiencing shame (Dodge Pogrebin, 2001). This shame is exacerbated for women because of the social definitions of what it means to be a woman, mother, and citizen. The stigma these women experience ca n potentially lead to further criminal acts. In addition, inadequate treatment has implications not justRead MoreMinorities and Women in Criminal Justice1064 Words   |  5 Pagesminorities and women in the criminal justice system . Sexism still exists in the United States. Sexism against women is shown in the media and indicates that sexism still pervades in our society. Another key issue is the overrepresentation and disparities among minorities in the criminal justice system. After the act of September 11, racial profiling and other acts of racial hate crimes suggests that racism occurs. Another key issue that indicates that racial disparities occur in the criminal justice systemRead MoreEssay on The Effects of Gender on Prisoner Interactions 1464 Words   |  6 PagesCourt decided that forfeiting liberties and personal rights were consequences of the crime committed. Prisoners were viewed as slaves. In addition, losing citizenship rights meant losing the ability to complain about living conditions (Peak, 2010). Women and men were subjected to horrible prison conditions in which the living conditions were fifthly, overcrowded and harsh. Often times they were beaten and sexual abused by male guards (Stuart von Wormer Bartollas, 2011). It was not until the 1960’s