Women Offenders as a Social Phenomenon: Transformation and Deformation of Social Roles

Abstract

The research featured women offenders as a social phenomenon associated with the social role of women. The study was based on the socio-role approach. The authors defined women's crime as an integral part of all crimes committed by women on a certain territory over a certain time period. The statistics of female crime in Russia and its regions came from the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, the Chief Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Kemerovo Region, and the Territorial Authority of the Federal State Statistics Service. The authors also analyzed cases of fraud related to maternity capital funds. Firstly, female crime proved an integral part of crime in general; it has its own specifics and is directly related to the roles that women play in society. Secondly, women commit mostly profit-related crimes, e.g. theft or fraud, while murder proved more typical of men. Thirdly, maternity fund fraud appeared to be a relatively new type of crime. Apparently, its female character is associated with childbearing and maternal function. Swindlers see new opportunities in maternal funds, and a woman in distress can easily become an instrument of their criminal activity.