Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
KRM 320
Exam Essay Topics
Author: Charlene Ferns
PLEASE NOTE:
Use of any of these essays is at your own risk. Class attendance is strongly advised for this
section of the work as certain things may be added or subtracted from any of the given
below essay topics.
These notes may also not be distributed without the authors permission.
Page 1 of 62
,Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
Critically describe the most important
issues regarding female crime: (Essay
Topic 1)
First notable fact regarding female crime is that women consistently have a lower
official crime rate than men.
An official crime rate is statistics derived from various official sources on the
amount and type of crime being committed. These crime statistics can help
determine whether or not there is a specific crime trend (increases and
decreases in the rate of a specific crime) as well as the characteristics and
motives of criminals.
Official crime statistics relate only to those crimes reported to the SAPS
(police statistics) that resulted in prosecutions (court statistics) and
convictions (prison statistics).
Sources of official crime statistics include the SAPS, Department of
correctional services, and the judicial inspectorate of prisons to name a few.
Regretfully in SA the South African police service does not classify crime
according to the sex of the offenders. Consequently the first indication of an
official crime rate for women can be gleaned from the SA prison population. In
South Africa, women only make up approximately 3% of the prison population.
According to South African Department of Correctional Services the majority of
the women offender population in 201 consisted of 1690 economic offenders and
1347 violent offenders.
The female prison population within SA only represents the number of
convicted female offenders, not how many crimes were committed by female
offenders as a whole. (in other words it represents only one aspect within our
CJS process of dealing crime)
Therefore using prison populations as an indication of the official crime rate
for women results in highly unreliable and inaccurate statistics to be
produced, which in turn effects how we develop not only theoretical
Page 2 of 62
,Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
explanations for female crime but also possible deterrence and rehabilitation
mechanisms to cope with female crime.
Nevertheless, the fact that women have a significantly lower official crime rate than
men, has received insufficient attention in criminology. Feminists argue that the
neglect of women offenders as a topic of research interest in criminology is just
another example of the invisibility and marginalisation of women within society.
Although internationally there has been a growing body of knowledge since the
1970’s pertaining to women offending, in South Africa it remains a poorly understood
and under- researched topic of interest amongst scholars. Locally it has only recently
sparked research interest. The neglect of women offending as a research interest in
criminology has also led to very little theoretically development.
Theories being highly organised statements of basic assumptions and
logically interrelated assertions about of phenomenon or class of
phenomenon under study, attempt to describe, predict, explain and control the
subject matter of a given phenomenon/ class of phenomenon. This means
we are able to use theories to develop possible rehabilitation and deterrence
mechanisms for female crime.
Due to our inaccurate understanding, we as a society and criminologists
cannot begin to address the issue of female crime as we our lack of interest in
topic of it all together. Less research into female crime means very little
theories explaining why females choose to commit crime can be developed.
A further issue with regard to female crime is the fact that it is mostly difficult for
society in general to identify with women offenders. This stands in stark contrast to
how society in general reacted to the ‘discovery’ of women as victims of various
types of crime. When social scientists and criminologists first ‘discovered’ the plight
of women as victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual harassment in the
workplace in the 1970’s, it served as an impetus for social and legislative changes to
address the plight of these victims. In other words, it was easy to identify with women
in their roles as victims of crime. However, the same cannot be said for women who
offend.
Page 3 of 62
, Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
Could this possibly be because we as society cannot begin to fathom the fact
that women cannot be criminals? Traditionally women have been seen as
sympathetic, loving, gentle and nurturers.
This however can be double- problematic as not only are women breaking the
legislative law but also the unwritten rules that prescribe what a traditional
women should be.
Other issues pertinent to the study field of women offending are:
1. How reliable are official crime statistics when studying women offending and
what does it reveal?
2. Have women become more criminal over time?
3. What types of crime do women commit?
4. Are women treated differently by the criminal justice system?
5. Why is the topic neglected research focus area in criminology?
6. What theoretical insights exist in criminology pertaining to female crime?
Page 4 of 62
Section A 2018
KRM 320
Exam Essay Topics
Author: Charlene Ferns
PLEASE NOTE:
Use of any of these essays is at your own risk. Class attendance is strongly advised for this
section of the work as certain things may be added or subtracted from any of the given
below essay topics.
These notes may also not be distributed without the authors permission.
Page 1 of 62
,Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
Critically describe the most important
issues regarding female crime: (Essay
Topic 1)
First notable fact regarding female crime is that women consistently have a lower
official crime rate than men.
An official crime rate is statistics derived from various official sources on the
amount and type of crime being committed. These crime statistics can help
determine whether or not there is a specific crime trend (increases and
decreases in the rate of a specific crime) as well as the characteristics and
motives of criminals.
Official crime statistics relate only to those crimes reported to the SAPS
(police statistics) that resulted in prosecutions (court statistics) and
convictions (prison statistics).
Sources of official crime statistics include the SAPS, Department of
correctional services, and the judicial inspectorate of prisons to name a few.
Regretfully in SA the South African police service does not classify crime
according to the sex of the offenders. Consequently the first indication of an
official crime rate for women can be gleaned from the SA prison population. In
South Africa, women only make up approximately 3% of the prison population.
According to South African Department of Correctional Services the majority of
the women offender population in 201 consisted of 1690 economic offenders and
1347 violent offenders.
The female prison population within SA only represents the number of
convicted female offenders, not how many crimes were committed by female
offenders as a whole. (in other words it represents only one aspect within our
CJS process of dealing crime)
Therefore using prison populations as an indication of the official crime rate
for women results in highly unreliable and inaccurate statistics to be
produced, which in turn effects how we develop not only theoretical
Page 2 of 62
,Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
explanations for female crime but also possible deterrence and rehabilitation
mechanisms to cope with female crime.
Nevertheless, the fact that women have a significantly lower official crime rate than
men, has received insufficient attention in criminology. Feminists argue that the
neglect of women offenders as a topic of research interest in criminology is just
another example of the invisibility and marginalisation of women within society.
Although internationally there has been a growing body of knowledge since the
1970’s pertaining to women offending, in South Africa it remains a poorly understood
and under- researched topic of interest amongst scholars. Locally it has only recently
sparked research interest. The neglect of women offending as a research interest in
criminology has also led to very little theoretically development.
Theories being highly organised statements of basic assumptions and
logically interrelated assertions about of phenomenon or class of
phenomenon under study, attempt to describe, predict, explain and control the
subject matter of a given phenomenon/ class of phenomenon. This means
we are able to use theories to develop possible rehabilitation and deterrence
mechanisms for female crime.
Due to our inaccurate understanding, we as a society and criminologists
cannot begin to address the issue of female crime as we our lack of interest in
topic of it all together. Less research into female crime means very little
theories explaining why females choose to commit crime can be developed.
A further issue with regard to female crime is the fact that it is mostly difficult for
society in general to identify with women offenders. This stands in stark contrast to
how society in general reacted to the ‘discovery’ of women as victims of various
types of crime. When social scientists and criminologists first ‘discovered’ the plight
of women as victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual harassment in the
workplace in the 1970’s, it served as an impetus for social and legislative changes to
address the plight of these victims. In other words, it was easy to identify with women
in their roles as victims of crime. However, the same cannot be said for women who
offend.
Page 3 of 62
, Charlene Ferns KRM 320
Section A 2018
Could this possibly be because we as society cannot begin to fathom the fact
that women cannot be criminals? Traditionally women have been seen as
sympathetic, loving, gentle and nurturers.
This however can be double- problematic as not only are women breaking the
legislative law but also the unwritten rules that prescribe what a traditional
women should be.
Other issues pertinent to the study field of women offending are:
1. How reliable are official crime statistics when studying women offending and
what does it reveal?
2. Have women become more criminal over time?
3. What types of crime do women commit?
4. Are women treated differently by the criminal justice system?
5. Why is the topic neglected research focus area in criminology?
6. What theoretical insights exist in criminology pertaining to female crime?
Page 4 of 62
