Feminism in Criminology: Engendering the Outlaw

Abstract

This article assesses the progress of and prospects for feminism in criminology. The focus is on the last 25 years of feminist research and theorizing about women offenders, victims, and workers in the criminal justice system. A general overview is provided of the directions of this scholarship, and key debates between mainstream and feminist perspectives are reviewed. The article also examines the contributions of feminist activists both within and outside the discipline to concrete social change for women victims and offenders. The article closes with a discussion of emerging trends in feminist criminology. New research and theorizing about women's experiences with crime challenge and subvert the traditional divisions and domains of mainstream criminology.