The Situational Context of Violent Female Offending

Abstract

The study examines the elements involved in female perpetration of robbery and aggravated assault including motive, victim precipitation, victim-offender relationship, accomplices, precipitating circumstances, preparation, and use of weapons. The data suggest that there are clear underlying differences in the perpetration of violent crimes. They show that robbery is more frequently planned, more impersonal, and more instrumental than assault. Assault was clearly an impulsive criminal offense. However, it was not totally irrational. Each woman's actions were a function of the victim's behavior and the implications of that behavior for defending one's well-being or public self-concept. The data indicate that lifestyle factors (e.g., peer association, serious drug use) are associated with participation in robbery. The findings also suggest that the women's lifestyles and routine activities increased their probability of exposure to situations that were associated with more serious disputes. In addition to differences in the underlying motivation or meaning of violence, there appear to be different behavioral patterns within the study samples. Women involved in robbery, particularly those involved in both robbery and assault, were disproportionately involved in other criminal activities, particularly drug sales, and were more deeply entrenched in addictive drug use.