Feminist criminology: some reflections

This paper deals with the dimensions of feminism and the critique of ‘mainstream’ criminology as male-stream criminology and the impact of feminism on Criminological theory on the one hand and on Criminal Justice Practice on the other. Feminist Criminology deals with three major dimensions i.e. women as criminal, women as victim of crime and women in criminal justice system. Therefore, the paper is an attempt to discern the impact of Feminist Criminology on the ‘women in conflict with law’. The sexism in criminology influence sentencing of women who are not supposed to be criminals. If they are, they are ‘mad’ not ‘bad’. The aim of the paper is to identify some important issues like female criminals should be considered as “doubly deviant”. Specific needs of female prisoners, which have been thoroughly ignored, should be identified. The inadequate police and criminal justice response to women's victimisation should be reformed. The paper concludes with observing the impact of feminism on criminological theory.