Feminist Criminology - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Feminist Criminology, a critical lens applied to the study of crime and justice, probes the gendered assumptions that have long shaped criminological thought. Often mistaken as simply the study of female offenders, it is in fact a far more radical project, challenging the very foundations upon which our understanding of crime is built. While seemingly a modern development, its roots lie much deeper. Consider, perhaps, the writings of Elizabeth Fry in the early 19th century, whose observations on the conditions of female prisoners implicitly questioned the prevailing patriarchal norms. While not explicitly termed "feminist criminology," her work, along with that of other female reformers, laid the groundwork for future scholarship by highlighting the ways in which the legal and penal systems disproportionately and differently affected women.
The formal emergence of Feminist Criminology as a distinct field gained momentum with the second-wave feminist movement in the 1960s and 70s. Influential works such as Carol Smart's "Women, Crime and Criminology" (1976) directly confronted mainstream theories that either ignored women or pathologized female criminality. Feminist Criminology expanded its scope, examining not only female offending but also the experiences of women as victims, as well as the gendered nature of criminal justice institutions. This period saw the rise of radical, Marxist, and socialist feminist perspectives, each offering unique insights into how gender, class, and power intersect to shape crime and its control. Think of the heated debates around rape law reform – were they truly about justice, or just another way to control women's bodies?
Today, Feminist Criminology continues to evolve, incorporating intersectional approaches that consider race, class, sexuality, and other dimensions of identity. It influences policy debates on issues ranging from domestic violence to sex work, pushing for more equitable and just responses to crime. But lingering questions remain: Has criminology truly come to terms with its own gendered biases? Can we understand crime without understanding gender? The ongoing development of Feminist Criminology pushes us to unravel our assumptions and investigate the complexities of power, gender and crime.