TY - JOUR
T1 - Do female sex offenders receive preferential treatment in criminal charging and sentencing?
AU - Hassett-Walker, Connie
AU - Lateano, Thomas
AU - Di Benedetto, Michael
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Research suggests that sexual abuse by females is viewed as less harmful than male-perpetrated abuse, and that females are treated more leniently by the justice system. The authors tested two hypotheses: female sex offenders would receive shorter incarceration sentences than their male counterparts because of their gender (H1), and female sex offenders would be charged less harshly than male sex offenders because of their caretaking role with victims (H2). Little support for H1, and only partial support for H2, was found. Results showed that female sex offenders who victimized adolescents for whom they were not caretakers were charged less severely.
AB - Research suggests that sexual abuse by females is viewed as less harmful than male-perpetrated abuse, and that females are treated more leniently by the justice system. The authors tested two hypotheses: female sex offenders would receive shorter incarceration sentences than their male counterparts because of their gender (H1), and female sex offenders would be charged less harshly than male sex offenders because of their caretaking role with victims (H2). Little support for H1, and only partial support for H2, was found. Results showed that female sex offenders who victimized adolescents for whom they were not caretakers were charged less severely.
KW - Charging
KW - Differential treatment
KW - Female sex offenders
KW - Gender
KW - Sentencing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84898031805&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/0098261X.2013.868278
DO - 10.1080/0098261X.2013.868278
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84898031805
SN - 0098-261X
VL - 35
SP - 62
EP - 86
JO - Justice System Journal
JF - Justice System Journal
IS - 1
ER -