Do female sex offenders receive preferential treatment in criminal charging and sentencing?

Authors

Connie Hassett-Walker, Kean University
Thomas Lateano, Kean University
Michael Di Benedetto, Kean University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Abstract

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. Copyright © National Center for State Courts.

Publication Title

Justice System Journal

First Page Number

62

Last Page Number

86

DOI

10.1080/0098261X.2013.868278

Recommended Citation

Hassett-Walker, Connie; Lateano, Thomas; and Di Benedetto, Michael, "Do female sex offenders receive preferential treatment in criminal charging and sentencing?" (2014). Kean Publications. 2032.
https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/keanpublications/2032