The Frequency and Nature of Female Offending 2
The frequency and nature of female offending is unique; particularly in that female
offenders are consistently less than male offenders in all crimes except in prostitution.
Females have fewer arrest rates than males in most societies; in the United States; women
offenders were just 20 % of the total number of offenders in 2016.
Female offending and arrest have been minimal in categories of serious crimes such
as homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, and burglary. There is less than 10 percent of
female offenders in these serious crime categories. Female offenders are more common in
minor crimes such as forgery, minor theft, and fraud’ yet not higher than the percentage of
the men in this categories too, only 30 % (Caufield, 2013).
According to the National Crime Victimization Survey suggests that the number of
female offenders has steadily been on the rise; that female crime has grown much faster than
male crime. The increase is particularly prominent in substance abuse categories as well as in
minor property crimes ("Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) - National Crime Victimization
Survey (NCVS)", 2017). Despite the surge in female offenses in minor crimes, female
offenders in serious crimes such as aggravated assault are rare and dwindling. Women are
rarely involved in such serious crime categories; they commit less harm even when they
commit criminal acts. For example, female offenders mete out less violence, give fewer
injuries or little damage to property.
Females are more corrigible and are less likely to become repeat offenders. Women
rarely have long-term careers in crime. Those who do pursue criminal careers seek brief
careers in petty crime such as forging, prostitution, and shoplifting. Women rarely participate
in group crime; when they corroborate, they usually serve as accomplices to the offense.
In summary, girls and females commit fewer crimes, are involved in less severe offenses, are
treated more nicely by justice and prison officials and are much easier to rehabilitate than
