Gendered Justice: The Impact of Gender on Criminal Justice Policies and
Legislation throughout the United Kingdom
Abstract
This article discusses the role of gender in
the commission of crime, criminality, and harm prevention, by critically
examining the notion of crime within theories about women’s and men’s
criminality, and the gendered nature of crime control policies
throughout the United Kingdom (UK), England, Wales, and Scotland.
Throughout the literature, there has been a continued focus on women
needing to be ‘repaired’ when they commit crime, because women are seen
as having gone outside the traditional role of what it means to be
female. On the other hand, the link between hegemonic masculinity and
criminal behaviour among men is often ignored within criminal justice
policies. It will be argued that both women and men are failed by a
system that does not engage with gendered power and harms within
society. A combination of targeted approaches that focus on the factors
that lead to offending is required to reduce
crime.