U.S. Department of Justice Revised 10/3/2000, th Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report December 1999, NCJ 175688 Women Offenders Lawrence A. Greenfeld and Tracy L. Snell Highlights BJS Statisticians Violent All Convicted felony Correctional Population estimates from the Census Women offenders offenders arrestees defendants populations Number 2,135,000 3,171,000 160,500 951,900 Bureau for July 1, 1998, indicate that As a percent 14% 22% 16% 16% women account for more than half the of each category population age 10 or older: ù Based on the self-reports of victims of arrest among juvenile females was Both genders 230,861,000 100.0% of violence, women account for about nearly twice the adult female rate. Females 119,010,000 51.6 14% of violent offenders & an annual ù Since 1990 the number of female Males 111,851,000 48.4 average of about 2.1 million violent defendants convicted of felonies in Table 1 female offenders. State courts has grown at more than The racial and ethnic composition of ù Male offending equals about 1 2 times the rate of increase in male the general population age 10 or older violent offender for every 9 males age defendants. varies slightly when males and females 10 or older, a per capita rate 6 times are compared. Non-Hispanic black ù In 1998 an estimated 950,000 that of women. females outnumber non-Hispanic black women were under the care, custody, males by nearly 1.9 million, accounting ù Three out of four violent female or control of correctional agencies & for more than a quarter of the total offenders committed simple assault. probation or parole agencies super- difference in the number of males and vising 85% of these offenders in the ù An estimated 28% of violent female females in the general population. community. The total equals a rate offenders are juveniles. Minorities compose a slightly higher of about 1 woman involved with the percentage of the female population ù Three out of four victims of violent criminal justice system for every 109 (26.2%) than of the male population female offenders were women. adult women in the U.S. population. (25.9%). Nearly a third of the disparity ù Nearly 2 out of 3 victims had a prior ù Women under supervision by in the number of females versus males relationship with the female offender. justice system agencies were in the general population is accounted mothers of an estimated 1.3 million for by the larger number of minority ù An estimated 4 in 10 women minor children. females. committing violence were perceived by the victim as being under the influ- ù Nearly 6 in 10 women in State The average age of females in the ence of alcohol and/or drugs at the prisons had experienced physical or general population is about 2½ years time of the crime. sexual abuse in the past; just over a older than that of males. The largest third of imprisoned women had been ù The per capita rate of murder age disparity, about 3 years, is found abused by an intimate in the past; offending by women in 1998 was the among black non-Hispanic females and just under a quarter reported lowest recorded since 1976; the rate compared to black non-Hispanic prior abuse by a family member. at which women commit murder has males. Among females, Hispanic been declining since 1980. ù About 84,000 women were women have the lowest average age, confined in prisons in 1998. In 1996 29.6 years, while white non-Hispanic ù In 1998 there were an estimated the average sentence and time women have the highest, 39.6 years. 3.2 million arrests of women & served for women were shorter than accounting for about 22% of all for males with equivalent offenses. arrests that year. The per capita rate Gender, race, and Hispanic origin Number of violent offenders per 1,000 residents in the U.S. population 160 Percent of U.S. population Women (rate times 7) age 10 or older, 1998 Females Males White 120 Hispanic 8.8% 9.5% Men Non-Hispanic 73.8 74.1 Black Hispanic 0.6% 0.6% 80 Non-Hispanic 12.1 11.2 Asian/Pacific Islander Hispanic 0.2% 0.2% Non-Hispanic 3.6 3.5 American Indian/Alaska Native 40 Hispanic 0.1% 0.1% Non-Hispanic 0.7 0.7 Total population 119,010,000 111,851,000 0 Table 2 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Fig. 2 Violent crimes committed by females and males Nearly 3 in 4 violent More than half of female violent Average annual number Women as victimizations committed offenders were described by victims of offenders reported a percent by female offenders were as white, and just over a third were by victims, 1993-97 of violent simple assaults; just over described as black. About 1 in 10 were Offense Female Male offenders All 2,135,000 13,098,000 14% half the violence of male described as belonging to another race Sexual assault 10,000 442,000 2 offenders is described as (Asian, Pacific Islander, Native Hawai- Robbery 157,000 2,051,000 7 simple assault. ian, American Indian, Aleut, or Aggravated assault 435,000 3,419,000 11 Simple assault 1,533,000 7,187,000 18 Eskimo). The rate of male violent Table 3 Violent victimizers offending translated into Black and white offenders accounted about 1 violent offender for every 9 for nearly equal proportions of women During an average year, based on the males age 10 or older in the general committing robbery and aggravated period 1993-97, victims of violence population; the rate of female violent assault; however, simple assault attributed the crimes they experienced offending was equal to about 1 violent offenders were more likely to be to an estimated 2.1 million female offender for every 56 females age 10 described as white. violent offenders and 13.1 million male or older. violent offenders. Among violent female offenders, 53% Per capita rates of offending among committed the offense while alone, and Offending rates: Ratio of both males and females decreased 40% were with others, all of whom Number of offenders offending from the peak rates recorded in 1994. were female. Among male offenders, per 1,000 residents rates, Male Female male:female Rates of committing violent crime in 47% were alone, and 51% were with 1997 were 29% lower for males and other males when the offense 1993 135 19 7.1 1994 140 20 7.0 25% lower among females. occurred. About 8% of violent female 1995 124 19 6.4 offenders committed their offense 1996 107 19 5.7 Characteristics of violent female together with at least one male 1997 99 15 6.5 offenders offender; by contrast, about 1% of male Table 4 Violent violent offenders committed the offense About 1 out of 7 violent offenders offenses in the company of a female offender. described by victims was a female. Women accounted for 1 in 50 offend- Age of offender ers committing a violent sex offense Under 12 including rape and sexual assault, 1 in White 14 robbers, 1 in 9 offenders committing Robbery Black 12-14 aggravated assault, and more than Other 15-17 Aggravated 18-20 1 in 6 offenders described as having assault committed a simple assault. 21-29 Simple 30 or older assault 0% 20% 40% Percent of violent female offenders 0% 20% 40% 60% Percent of female offenders Fig. 3 Fig. 1 2 Women Offenders Victims of violence provided very of male violent offenders were to account for about 1 in 8 violent similar descriptions of their perceptions estimated to have known the victim. offenders in the workplace and 1 in 6 of the ages of both female and male violent offenders committing the violent offenders. For each age group Victims who were intimates accounted offense in the victim’s home. & juveniles, young adults, and those for an identical percentage of both 30 or older & victims reported little male and female violent offenders. Offender's use of alcohol or drugs at the time of the violence variation in offender age between the Victim-offender relationship two genders. Neither Intimate Any Juveniles accounted for about 28% of Female victim female violent offenders, nearly identi- Relative Both Male victim cal to the juvenile percentage (26%) Alcohol only found among violent male offenders. Acquaintance Female offenders Drugs only Male offenders Characteristics of victims Stranger 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% of female violent offenders 0% 20% 40% 60% Percent of violent offenders Percent of female Fig. 7 Overall, female-to-female violence violent offenders accounted for 11% of all violent offend- Fig. 5 There were few differences between ers described by victims. An additional When women committed their violent male and female violent offenders in 3% of violent offenders were women offense against men, 35% of the victim perceptions of drug or alcohol who attacked males. offenders attacked an intimate or use at the time of the offense. About 4 in 10 male and female violent offenders Percentage of all violent victimizations relative. By contrast, 8% of victimiza- reported by victims tions of other females involved were reported by victims to have been intimates or family members. For both using alcohol, drugs, or both at the time Gender of violent offender of the offense. Gender of victim Female Male Total male and female victims, the proportion of female offenders attacking strangers Total 14% 86% 100% Consequences of female violence Female 11 26 37 was the same.