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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:42 pm
Time: 9:42 pm
Results for female offenders, organized crime
1 results foundAuthor: Beare, Margaret Title: Woman and Organized Crime Summary: The fight against organized crime has been identified as a key priority for governments in Canada and on an international level. While many studies have focused on identifying organized crime groups, and on assessing the impact of such groups, the vast majority of the research in this area has focussed almost exclusively on male participation. There has been little attention paid to the involvement of women in these organizations, and the vast majority of the research that has been conducted in this area has focussed on women as victims of organized crime, or as occupying passive roles in directing the activities of criminal organizations. The primary objectives of this discussion paper were to: review the literature; enhance the understanding the nature and scope of women’s participation in organized crime; determine the extent to which women actively participate in and lead organized criminal activities; systematically examine the factors that influence women to participate in organized criminal activities; and, to determine how the criminal justice system deals with these offenders. The paper has been grouped into two distinct parts. The first part presents an overview of women’s overall participation in crime, in general, in Canada. The theories for female involvement in crime, a portrait of the “typical” female offender, as well as information on the types of crimes women engage in, and the level of female involvement in crime in Canada. This background information on female offenders serves to situate and contextualize the second part of the paper, which focussed specifically on women’s involvement in organized crime structures in Canada, and abroad. The theories behind women's involvement in organized crime, the particular roles women play in criminal networks, women’s roles in particular types of organized crimes such as drug trafficking, and human trafficking were also explored. The experience of female offenders with law enforcement and the legal system, and future areas of research with regards to women in organized crime were examined. The main findings of the literature review were that women generally commit “minor” crimes, such as common theft, common assault, bail violations, and fraud. Female offenders in Canada are often from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, non-white, they do not have much education, and they often have extensive histories of being victims of abuse. The findings pertaining specifically to women who engage in organized crime found that women who engage in organized crime activities may differ demographically from the “typical” female offender. While very few women have been convicted under the criminal organization legislation in Canada, the majority of organized crimes that women commit in Canada fall under the ‘participation’ offence – the lowest ‘tier’ of charges under the legislation. There was some evidence to suggest that women do occupy positions of trust in criminal organizations, and are much more involved in decision-making than previously believed. Internationally, there is evidence of women taking ‘leadership roles’ in diverse criminal organizations. As with all types of crime, women’s involvement with organized crime is statistically low, but all indications are that it has risen slightly, with some women participating at higher levels or holding leadership positions. Details: Ottawa: Research and National Coordination, Organized Crime Division, Law Enforcement and Policy Branch, Public Safety Canada, 2010. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/sp-ps/PS4-106-2010-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/sp-ps/PS4-106-2010-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125516 Keywords: Female Offenders, Organized CrimeOrganized Crime (Canada) |