It’s the 99th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. In a conversation with Paula Rector, criminology senior instructor, we look at the status of gender in her field.
Criminology has grown in both gender equality and opportunity. More women are entering the field, and how we prosecute and prevent crimes by and against women has changed.
“I haven’t walked into a gender-dominated class in a while.”
Rector specializes in gender and victimization
As the female population in criminology grows, Rector teaches “classes that touch students and what they’ve experienced.”
Rector was one of three criminology graduates at SMSU during her studies. During college, she laid the foundation for future social work she does now. Rector serves on the Greene County Domestic Violence Task Force and on the board of Harmony House, an emergency shelter for people escaping domestic violence.
Women may offend differently than men
The last decade has seen an 800% increase in conviction of female offenders. This outpaces the rate of growth of male offenders.
Two thirds of female offenders are nonviolent and have been involved in crimes such as theft, public disorder and drug offenses. Many of these offenders have histories of being victims themselves. Issues of self-esteem, sexual abuse and dislocation are common.
Rector specializes in studies and preventative measures that may be the key to lowering those rates of offensive.
For example, look at investigation work. By acknowledging trauma and having policies that address it, criminal justice professionals can more efficiently and ethically relate to victims.
More women are entering the field of criminology
The field of criminology at large is expanding for women.
The journal Feminist Criminology, looking at race, ethnicity and gender diversity, is soaring in its readership and ranked credibility. The American Society of Criminology, or ASC, Division on Women and Crime has the largest representations in the ASC.
“Feminist Criminology [a research journal] provides a venue for articles that place women in the center of the research question, answering different questions than the mainstream approach of controlling for sex.” – Dr. Sheetal Ranjan, Chair of the Division on Women and Crime, American Society of Criminology
The Division on Women and Crime has hosted events with the World Society of Victimology, the International Sociological Association and Criminologists without Borders. This collaboration brought about the 63rd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York City.
And while there are areas of low representation (such as police forces being only about 13-18% female), there’s room for optimism. All areas are growing in diversity, and the majority of first-year law students are female.
MSU’s diverse criminology growth is fostered because our relationships are fostered
Missouri State has a diverse student body that wants to study criminology.
When diverse students get the opportunity to explore and create knowledge, more demographics can be served by their knowledge.
Our criminology student body continues to grow and change. Rector notes this is due to the mentorship and relations the criminology department fosters. The department can share with you the amazing careers in criminology students can access.
Stay informed and be a part of progress by joining the ASC and DWC.
Contact senior instructor Paula Rector for class and volunteer opportunities in this dynamic area of criminology.