Women and Crime in Context

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between patriarchy indicators and female offending in the context of urban and rural areas. Few studies have examined how patriarchy and other structural predictors influence within-gender differences in female crime at the macro level. Using 2000 data, the authors offer multiple measures that tap public and private levels of patriarchy when examining types of female arrests across U.S. cities and small towns. The authors find that public patriarchy influences female crime rates when controlling for private patriarchy and other structural conditions. This study highlights the importance of examining within-gender differences in offending rates at the macro level, while capturing the different ways that patriarchy manifests itself in society.