Abstract
This thought-provoking and innovative text provides an excellent base for understanding issues of gender in the study of crime and victimisation. Although the study of gender issues in relation to criminal justice is now a well-established field (Walklate, 2004), the manner in which the author has structured this book to bring together research issues, developments in theory and issues of policy related to the study of gender, crime and victimisation is unique. The text offers original insight and critical discussion of these topics as they relate to both theory and practice.
One of the key strengths of this text is that it covers a wide range of academic discussions in relation to gender in ways that both explain and challenge the presented ideas. The book will therefore appeal to a wide range of audiences: from the undergraduate reader through to the PhD student and other academic scholars as well as crime and justice sector workers and policy-makers. As such, this book should be viewed as a welcome addition to our knowledge base on issues of gender in the field of criminology. The theoretical cornerstone of feminism underpins much of the theoretical debates, but is presented in a manner which draws upon the author’s experiences of teaching, research and writing in the fields of crime and criminology. This adds another dimension to theoretical discussions and encourages the reader to think beyond the traditional paradigms associated with the study of gender, namely feminist ideologies, and rather looks towards a more nuanced appreciation of feminist theory and its application to research.
In broad terms the aim of the book is to present a comprehensive critical appraisal of how crime, viewed from both the perspective of offender and victim, is a ‘gendered phenomenon’ (p. 3). However, in executing this, the author presents a historical journey through how we conceptualise issues of ‘masculinity and femininity’ and the implications that this has for the criminal justice arena and society on a more general level. The book is well structured, and its pedagogical features add to its accessibility for a wide range of audiences. Each chapter includes a contents page of topics, aims, a synopsis, and key questions which form a pivotal element in encouraging critical analysis. The book also includes a useful glossary of terms relevant to the study of gender in criminal justice matters.
Chapter one provides an overview of the book and key themes that will be drawn out, presenting these in an engaging and informative manner. The structure then leads on thematically, with chapter two discussing gender patterns of crime and victimisation, crime types and gender associated patterns of offending and victimisation in relation to both the past and present. Chapter three draws upon the influence of the media on understanding issues of gender, crime and victimisation and assists in contextualising the importance of the media with regard to representing crime and victimisation in society at a given point in time. ‘Mediated knowledges’ surrounding gender, crime and victimisation and the implications that these have for the study of these topics are also discussed.
Chapter four is split into two parts. The first part focuses on feminist ideologies and critically analyses their impact on studying crime and victimisation. The ‘legacy of positivism’ is discussed whilst looking towards different feminist perspectives in criminology and how they impact on the overall study of the topic. The second part of this chapter draws upon the main case study used in the text, ‘Women and crime for economic gain’. By utilising this case study, which is based upon empirical data collected by the author, the reader is offered original and detailed illustrations which run as key themes throughout the book. This original research is ever prevalent through chapter five, which sensitively highlights feminist and gendered perspectives in theorising offending and victimisation. Chapter six continues along this theme but pays more attention to the fear and vulnerability associated with victimisation and the examples used enable the reader to understand and question the realities of victimisation and the gender patterns associated with different types of victimisation. Masculinities are brought to the foreground in this chapter and it provides the first instance where masculinities’ sensitive perspectives are discussed, something which is lacking in the overall gender debate up until this point in the book.
Chapter seven considers the criminal justice system’s responses to law breakers as part of the wider-reaching ‘gender agenda’ debate. This is achieved through a discussion of imprisonment, although the balance between men’s and women’s imprisonment is unequally balanced and the focus tends to fall upon women’s rather than men’s experiences. However, this is not to undermine the importance of the key themes illustrated, namely the importance of gender sensitive responses to imprisoned lawbreakers. Chapter eight develops gender sensitive discussions further but from the perspective of the victim. This is achieved by highlighting the problems associated with defining what is a victim, what constitutes support and how this support is available and from whom. The importance of recognising that the study of victims is not a case of ‘one size fits all’ and that different victims have different needs is particularly noteworthy. Finally, chapter nine consolidates the issues of gender, crime and victimisation and offers an appreciation of the challenges faced by highlighting gender as an area for discussion in relation to victims and offenders. It provides thought-provoking questions in relation to the validity of the prioritization of gender as opposed to other social categories (Davies et al., 2007) in theorising and researching offending and victimisation and subsequent responses to this.
In summary, I would recommend this text to anyone interested in studying gender within both offending and victimisation contexts. The book is well structured and lends itself to a wide range of audiences. It also actively encourages critical analysis of the topics in a scholarly yet sensitive manner. The recurrent theme of the empirical research undertaken by the author helps to set this book apart from the other texts on gender and assists the reader in constructing both theoretical and policy-centred debates.