Women and crime for economic gain

Davies, Pamela (2005) Women and crime for economic gain. Doctoral thesis, University of Northumbria.

Preview

PDF (PhD thesis) 416338.pdf - Accepted Version Download (17MB) | Preview

Abstract

This thesis presents a criminological exploration of the relationship between women and the notion of the economic. The contention is that there remain gaps in our empirical inquiries and in our theorising about women who commit crimes for economic gain. The organising framework is the experience and motivations of women who do economic crime. The thesis is concerned with an investigation that is conducted through both empirical research and a theoretical examination of women's motivations to do economic crime.
Initially the thesis grapples with the problems of clarifying what constitute the economic crimes of women attempting to further understand and appreciate female
economic criminality. Empirical evidence is brought to bear on the variety and extent of women's criminality, initial and post-hoc reasons and justifications for women's economic crime, means and methods of carrying out crimes and women's views of themselves as offenders. Focussing in particular upon the offence of shoplifting as an example of a crime in which women tend to specialise, the investigation explores women's motivations for doing shoplifting in some detail. This leads to an examination of economic need and economic greed in a gendered context.
The key issues explored are women's motivations for and experiences of economic crime and an interrogation of the concept of the economic in relation to women's crime. The unfolding analysis and emergent theorising informs our understanding of women's motivations to do crime for economic gain and through challenging criminologically dominant appreciations of the economic, the thesis argues towards a more thoroughly gendered understanding of the concept of the economic.

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads