Pregnancy and maternity in correctional facilities are some of the controversial problems in criminal justice. There is a critical question if mothers in prisons should be treated differently compared to other convicts. Researchers note that some indulgences should be implemented in cases where a mother wishes to remain in contact with a child (Henriques & Gladwin, 2013). Therefore, strengthening the relationship between a parent and children should be encouraged since women in prisons are always deprived of personal space and are strictly limited in their rights.
As for analyzing illegal behavior among females, different studies indicate that gender differences certainly have an impact on criminal justice. According to Schwartz and Steffensmeier (2007), women are usually convicted of minor property crimes. However, the percentage of female offenses has grown because of the feminist emancipation, which increased opportunities for women and allowed women to commit crimes equal to men. Nevertheless, despite the fact that female misdemeanors became more visible, the number of them is still small compared to men. For this reason, it can be assumed that male privilege has little to do with their criminal behavior.
The police and law enforcement have long been considered an exclusively male field of activity. However, this situation began to change in recent years as more females started to apply for this job and do the most difficult tasks. Belknap (2014) indicates that although several gender stereotypes remain in policing and prison work, male coworkers accept women officers. Therefore, their role is to be partners with their colleagues and improve their representation in this profession.
In the United States, the connection between social classes and crime has been the subject of discussions and controversy for several decades. Researchers agree that social inequality certainly plays an important role since criminal justice contributes to the gap between classes, such as whites and people of color, as well as rich and poor (Barak, 2010). The reason for this is that some racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in reports, which results in inaccurate crime statistics.
References
Barak, G., Leighton, P., & Flavin, J. (2010). Class, race, gender, and crime: The social realities of justice in America. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Belknap, J. (2014). The invisible woman: Gender, crime, and justice. Nelson Education.
Henriques, Z. W., & Gladwin, B. P. (2013). Pregnancy and motherhood behind bars. Special needs offenders in correctional institutions, 83-116.
Schwartz, J., & Steffensmeier, D. (2007). The nature of female offending: Patterns and explanation. Female offenders: Critical perspectives and effective interventions, 2, 43-76.