Customer Reviews

Women and the Criminal Justice System (2nd Edition)

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Although laid out like a textbook(numerous summary statements and bullet points) and encompassing an enormous amount of literature, the writing is crisp and interesting, liberally sprinkled with quotes, original interviews, vignettes and illustrative sidebars. The chapters fall into the basic categories of women as imprisoned perpetrators, women as victims of crimes, and the place of women in the law enforcement system. The book is a joint effort from a social work professor and a sociology/criminal justice professor. THis resulted in a fruitful interplay between the objective and subjective voice in the presentation of this material. The subject is explicitly approached from an empowerment perspective, which focuses on giving people the information they need to navigate the issues most effectively for helping themselves and others.The assumption is that issues of gender,social class and racial oppression enter into all aspects of the subject.This is a valuable and rare resource in this area of human concern. Reviewed in Social Work Forum Newsletter

Van Wormer and Bartollas' book provides a very broad discussion of all facets of women in the criminal justice system, such as rape, spouse abuse, women in prison, women in law enforcement, and women in the legal profession. Because of its broad range of information, it provides a strong book for courses in criminal justice programs involving women. It also provides a strong reader for lay persons who are just interested in knowing the issues involving women and the criminal justice system. In the College of Social Work at Ohio State University, I teach a course entitled social work practice in corrections and would adopt this book as a second book for my course to provide students with broad perspective of women issues in criminal justice.

If there is a book of which it could be said, "It covers it all" this is the one. It covers virtually everything involving women and the Criminal Justice system. Many of the topics are concerning women who have been subjected to various types of abuse including rape. But it makes a full swing around to emcompass women who work as law enforcement personnel and even those whose jobs are deeply seated within the field of criminal justice. I'd say it's a very eye opening text with tons of information! It's a good read!

The book was repetitive in many cases. How many times can it be stated that lack of income can be the source of delinquent behavior such as doing drugs and participating in criminal activities? The book focused more on the lower class than giving more of a comparison on delinquency between the lower, middle, and upper class. Maybe I missed something but I did not finish this book with a greater understanding of women in the criminal justice system as victims, offenders, or professionals. I felt like I was reading more statements given about women from the 1970s- 90s than the present. If the authors wanted to state what was going on in those times they should have followed up with what is currently happening with those issues that were cited over 30 yrs prior. Women were made to sound mentally and emotionally slow and weak and very insignificant to society. I was very disappointed that this book is being used as a text book for my class. Makes me wonder do instructors read these books before making their students read them. If anything after reading this book it makes me want to go out on my own and research the plight of women as criminals, victims, and professionals.

Yet another waste of text. The same old vitim plight of the poor poor female in our modern society. I need a tissue! this book would have gotten a better review if I had read it in the 1960's.

Get over it.