Discuss the early biological explanations of female delinquency, include an example. Explain your view of this theory

What will be an ideal response?


• With the publication in 1895 of The Female Offender, Lombroso extended his work on criminality to females.
• Lombroso maintained that women were lower on the evolutionary scale than men, more childlike and less intelligent.
• Women who committed crimes could be distinguished from "normal" women by physical characteristics: For example: excessive body hair, wrinkles, and an abnormal cranium.
• In appearance, delinquent females appeared closer to men than to other women. The masculinity hypothesis suggested that delinquent girls had excessive male characteristics.
• In 1925, Cyril Burt linked female delinquency to menstruation.
• Healy and Bronner's research showed that about 70 percent of the delinquent girls they studied had abnormal weight and size, a finding that supported the "masculinity hypothesis.".
• Student views will vary.

Criminal Justice

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According to the text, conflict between the media and law enforcement can

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a. 1871 b. 1964 c. 1983 d. 1976

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