8.female Criminality in India

Female Criminality in India
IPC FEMALE CRIMINALITY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CRIME RATE SOCIAL STRUCTURE SOCIETY CRIMINAL LAW
INTRODUCTION
Women are thought to be the preservers of norms but for a decade, many women are involved in a
violation of laws and committing crimes across the world. India is no exception to this. Female
criminality in India has also increased considerably. There could be several factors involved for such
an increase, some of which would be discussed briefly hereinafter. The evolving role, move-in
occupation, and status, the idea of women liberation, financial freedom, and political autonomy
opens the passage for ladies to participate in different activities, and thus the exposure to crimes is
more than in past.[1] The nature of crimes committed by women is not only petty crimes and they
are involved in a lot of non-traditional and serious crimes as well, which also would be discussed in
this article. The crimes amongst women have increased with the changing times but the law has still
remained the same as it was in the olden days. Thus, the law also needs to be made fewer women
protective and more gender-neutral.
FACTORS AFFECTING FEMALE CRIMINALITY
A lot of economic, political, social, biological, and psychological factors affect women's criminality. A
few of them are briefly explained as under-
1. Biological Factors- Whether biological factors play any role in facilitating crimes
is still debatable but bio-chemical researchers suggest that biological factors
such as hormonal imbalances have an adverse effect on women's criminality. In
the pregnancy and menopausal stage, emotional changes of moods, anomalous
craving and impulses, and impermanent hindrance of awareness are some of the
biological and psychological factors that point toward criminal causation.[2]
2. Industrialization And Modernization- As a result of industrialization and
modernization, old age social control mechanisms have ceased to have force.[3]
It is assumed that the issue of female criminality exudes from the fast changes of
the society from past convention to innovation. The contentions made between
social objectives and institutional methods accessible to accomplish them lead to
aggression bringing about aberrance among women.
3. Personal Factors- Ill-treatment of women by their spouses, in-laws, or other
relatives can lead to the women resorting to criminal activities. Some of the
personal factors that can contribute to the crimes committed by the women are-
lack of the woman in love and family life, husband engaged in activities like
drinking, gambling, etc.
4. Poverty- Poverty is a very big factor that accounts for female criminality
especially in India. The relevancy of poverty to female criminality is sufficiently
highlighted through certain judicial decisions such as- re Maragatham[4] and
Shreerangyee v. State of Madras.[5]
5. Psychological Factors- Psychologists treat crime as a behavior learned by the
criminal in the course of his contract with different persons. Upsetting
circumstances, maladjustments, discordant conjugal relations, strife inclined
associations with spouses and parents in law, and maladjustments in
interpersonal relationships within the family are causes found to be answerable
for female criminality.[6]
6. Social Factors- Social factors are extremely important factors that promote and
encourage female criminality in India. Lack of education, rivalry, strife, social
disorder portability, conjugal variables, terrible neighborhood, and ill-conceived
parenthood are the different factors because of which criminality among women
is expanding.
7. Under-Age Employment and Bad Working Conditions- The lack of
employment may be a worrisome factor for adult males but under age
employment and bad working conditions are some of the major economic factors
facilitating crimes amongst women.[7]
8. Women’s Emancipation- Women did not have access to resources as men in
the past. Be that as it may, as women are freed and have started infiltrating the
workforce or the social network where she was not previously permitted she will
have opportunities to act criminal similarly that a male would be having.
NATURE OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY WOMEN

Traditionally, the crimes committed by women were limited to petty crimes and crimes such as
shoplifting, prostitution, etc. Now, women are engaged in all kinds of crimes such as-
• Adultery
• Blackmailing
• Drugs Trafficking
• Forgery
• Kidnapping
• Marital Crimes
• Murder
• Pickpocketing
• Smuggling
• Terrorism
• Theft
These are only some examples of the crimes committed by women in recent times. Now their
involvement in smuggling, white-collar crimes and even terrorism has come to stay as a big poser.[8]
NEED FOR A NEW APPROACH TO PREVENT FEMALE CRIMINALITY
The following are some of the steps and measures that can be useful for the prevention of female
criminality in India-
• Amendment of laws
• Community-Based Prevention Programs
• Crime Prevention Institutions at Community Level
• Interdisciplinary research in the field of female criminality.
• Keeping a check on gender discrimination in the families, school and workplaces
• Learning Programs for Female Offenders and Rehabilitation
• Reformation of the criminal justice system
• Rehabilitation and Reintegration
• Reintegration of Women Offenders
• Responsible Media
• Sex Education
• Sharing of social and domestic roles by men and women equally instead of
demarcating the same.
An imperative to make effective procedures towards the consideration, treatment, and restoration of
female offenders is incredible and for this researches and publications identified with female
wrongdoing ought to be promptly received by the strategy creators, the scholastic circle, and the
public throughout the world. Women are valuable for humanity, for country building and for the
perpetuation of civilization and so every individual must contribute to their development and
prosperity by expelling all the hindrances in the way of their advancement.
CONCLUSION
Crime and criminal both have lived in society since time immemorial. However, until recently the
commission of those crimes was limited to only men. In traditional society, female criminality was
seen as a unique matter to society. The scenario has changed for a few decades. The rising female
criminality nowadays is viewed by many as the reaction, the retaliation, the ultimate method of self-
preservation. The impact of female criminality can be seen on the individual, on the family, and on
the society at large. Hence, more research needs to be done on this topic and laws should also be
amended accordingly.
This article is authored by Nandini Menon, a 3rd-year student pursuing a 5-year law course [BSW
LLB (Hons.)] at the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU).
Disclaimer: The article is an original submission of the Author. Niti Manthan does not hold any
liability arising out of this article. Kindly refer to our terms of use or write to us in case of any
concerns.
[1] Rani Bilmoria, 'The Pattern And Nature Of Female Criminality In India' [1981] Indian Journal of
Social Work.
[2] Otto Pollak, The Criminality Of Women (Greenwood Press 1978).
[3] Prof. N V Paranjape, Criminology And Penology (2006).
[4] AIR [1968] Mad 498.
[5] [1973] 1 MLJ 205.
[6] Ram Ahuja, Female Offenders In India (Meenakshi Prakashan 1969).
[7] J L Gillin, Criminology And Penology (2005).
[8] Giriraj Shah, Crime Against Women And Police (Anmol Publications 2000).

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Female Criminality in India

NATURE OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY WOMEN

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