Beyond Stereotypes: Understanding Female Criminality Through Psychological And Criminological Perspectives
Swati Sagarika Das, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), School of Law, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha
ABSTRACT
Female criminality has historically been relegated to the margins of criminological inquiry, treated either as an anomaly to be explained away through biological determinism or as a mere footnote to male-centric theories of offending. This paper challenges such reductive approaches by arguing that a comprehensive understanding of female criminality requires the integration of psychological and criminological perspectives that move beyond stereotypes of women as either passive victims or aberrant deviants. Drawing upon a multidisciplinary framework encompassing feminist criminology, trauma-informed psychology, life-course theory, and intersectional analysis, this paper examines the complex pathways through which women enter criminal behavior. The analysis reveals that female offending is predominantly shaped by histories of trauma, mental health challenges, socioeconomic marginalization, and systemic responses that criminalize survival behaviors rather than address their root causes. The paper further critiques the gender-blindness of traditional criminological theories and advocates for gender-responsive approaches that acknowledge the distinct social, psychological, and structural context of women’s lives. By synthesizing theoretical developments and empirical findings, this research contributes to a more nuanced and humane understanding of female criminality, one that recognizes women offenders not as stereotypes but as individuals whose criminal behavior emerges from identifiable and often addressable pathways of harm.
Keywords: Female Criminality, Feminist Criminology, Trauma-informed psychology, Gendered pathways, Intersectionality, Gender-Responsive Justice
