The use of the battered woman syndrome defense in the courts is controversial, particularly when women turn to homicide in response to a partner's abuse. Scholars worry that the syndrome has created a standard to which all battered women are compared. This book provides a comprehensive examination of the evolution of the syndrome and the contributions made by psychologists and legal scholars to aid our understanding of the use of battered woman syndrome evidence in trials of abused women who kill. Of particular interest is the way in which history, gender roles, and stereotypes play...
The use of the battered woman syndrome defense in the courts is controversial, particularly when women turn to homicide in response to a partner's abu...
Female offenders are often perceived as victims who commit crimes as a self-defense mechanism or as criminal deviants whose actions strayed from typical 'womanly' behavior. Such cultural norms for violence exist in our gendered society and there has been scholarly debate about how male and female offenders are perceived and how this perception leads to differential treatment in the criminal justice system. This debate is primarily based upon theories associated with stereotypes and social norms and how these prescriptive norms can influence both public and criminal justice response....
Female offenders are often perceived as victims who commit crimes as a self-defense mechanism or as criminal deviants whose actions strayed fro...
