It appears that over the past two decades women have had to assume male roles in the home and workplace. These adaptations of male roles and traits are due to a higher divorce rate, leaving many single mothers and also the rise of women in typically male positions in the workplace. As women adopt these male traits and roles, this increases the involvement in crime. Even on the streets it is evident that women are gaining status because of the increase in female gangs and gang members. I think Freda Adler best states my view of this topic by saying, "You can't embezzle in your not near funds. You can't get involved in a fight at the bar if you"re not allowed in the bar.".
There seems to be a lot of evidence supporting the fact that women are more involved in crime today. But are they really more violent than men are? Murray Straus, Ph.D., conducted his National Family Violence Survey in 1975 and 1985, with a total of 8,145 married couples. This survey showed that 12.4% of women assaulted their spouses, compared to 12.2% of men. More severe assaults show men and women very close in numbers. Another study done by the British Home Office in 1999 found that men and women who were assaulted by a partner in 1998 were both at 4.2%. These studies show that women and men are about equal in assaults, but men generally cause more injury when they assault women. Men usually do not report assault by a woman because of embarrassment or the fact that the women don't usually cause serious injuries.
The justice system today is still not realizing that women need to be held accountable for their actions. An unknown criminal defense lawyer said, "If she hasn't committed murder and she has children at home she walks." And even a judge confessed, "It's difficult to send a mature woman to prison. I keep thinking, Hey! She is somebody's mother!" These statements show that even though the women in society are changing society's view of them is not changing.