Feminism and Criminology

Book excerpt: This much-needed book is a concise and accessible account of thecontribution of feminist thinking to the study of crime. Tracingthe intellectual history of criminology from its scientificfoundations in the nineteenth century to its recent encounters withpostmodernism, Naffine discusses the ways in which the disciplinehas established its priorities and values, and shows how men becameand remain the central interest of the discipline. Criminologists,she argues, are still reluctant to engage with feminist scholarshipwhich questions their agenda. Naffine argues that for several decades feminists from a variety ofdisciplines have been studying crime, producing increasinglyrefined and sophisticated understandings of the phenomenon. Theirinterests have ranged widely, from the effects of masculinity andfemininity on the propensity to offend, to the ways in which classand race affect the gender dimension of crime. They have pursueddifficult questions about the nature of knowledge and the meaningsof human behaviour in men and women. Naffine analyses the treatment of women offenders by the criminaljustice system, and women as victims of crime - especially violentcrime - and argues for a different understanding of sexualrelations between men and women within the crime of rape. Finally,she examines how feminist detective fiction can enliven and enhancethe study of crime. Provocative and well-argued, this timely book will be welcomed bystudents and researchers in women's studies, gender studies,criminology, sociology and law.