Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Violent women: findings from Texas Women Inmate Study
Other Titles:	Journal of interpersonal violence
Authors:	Mullings, Janet L Pollack, Jocelyn M Crouch, Ben M
Keywords:	Sexual assault;Child protection;Impact on children and young people;Homicide
Year:	2006
Publisher:	Sage Publications
Citation:	21 (4), April 2006
Notes:	General Overview: The study employed a secondary analysis of data conducted from interviews taken with newly admitted female inmates in a Texas jail, from January to November 1998, based on the study for the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. The interviews took place with a sample of 657 female inmates. Violent and non-violent offenders were compared by looking at race, socioeconomic status, criminal history, gang membership, childhood abuse, having been raised in a single-parent home and marital status. The article provides a literature review on patterns of violent crime, homicide, robbery, assault and studies of violence and aggression. Limitations of the study are raised. The results indicated that women who were violent were more likely to be younger, unemployed, African American and have criminal histories. They also were more likely to come from families with childhood abuse. A larger percentage of violent women than non-violent women were living with children at the time of arrest. The article speculates that these women included those who were living with domestic violence that resulted in a homicide conviction. More than one half of the violent sample (52%) reported having childhood histories of abuse, compared to 41% of the non-violent sample. Early child physical abuse increased the odds of being classified as a violent offender by 60% and adult sexual abuse increased the odds by 40%. Women who were employed during the year before incarceration reported engaging in less violent activities. Among violent inmates, being previously incarcerated in prison was also found to be a significant predictor for engaging in greater levels of violent activity. The most important finding of the study was that women who were violent were more likely than non-violent women to have been victims of childhood abuse. The strongest predictor for involvement in violent activities was having been physically abused in childhood. This finding lends support to the need for understanding the long term impact of childhood abuse on subsequent violent behaviour.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12430
ISSN:	0886-2605
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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