Crime Overview - Offenders: Women Reaching For Equality

In 2001, nearly 6.6 million individuals were under the supervision of parts of the correctional system of the United States — under Federal, State, or local jurisdictions. The most pronounced trend in recent years has been the growth in the number of women under correctional supervision. In 1986, 13 of 100 people under correctional supervision were women; by 2001, the ratio had increased to 17 women per 100 people on probation, parole, in jail, or in prison.

In 2001, 5,500 men out of 100,000 men aged 18 or older were under some kind of correctional supervision. The matching number for women was 1,060 per 100,000 women (same age group). In 1986, the numbers were 3,300 for men, 400 for women. In this 15-year period, women under supervision grew 165.4%, men by 66.8% — while the population of the 18 and older age group increased 17.7% — women less than men (16 vs. 19.5%).

Why are women striving for parity with men — in crime, of all places? Enough equality already! But the reasons for this increase may well have to do with the much more enabled role of women in society as a whole. Women are proportionately more present in the worlds of business, government, and the not-for-profit sector as well. During this period, women's participation in the labor force (those aged 20 and over) increased from 55.6% in 1986 to 61% in 2000, up 5 points (male participation actually dropped, from 78.4 to 76.5%). Women's increasing involvement in the sphere beyond the home and hearth goes far in explaining their growing presence among offenders.

The vast majority of people under correctional supervision in 2001 were either on probation (59%) or on parole (11%). Two thirds of the rest were in prison (20% of total), one third in jail (10% of total). Those under probation are convicted offenders in the community, but living under the oversight of some kind of correctional authority. Probationers are typically required to adhere to specific rules. Those in prison are sentenced to more than one year of incarceration. Those in jail are serving one year or less. Those on parole have been in jail or prison as well but are now out and about for good behavior.

In 2001, the correctional population was 17.2% female, 82.8% male. The allocation between males and females is shown in the following table:

Correctional Supervision	Men-%	Women-%
Total Correctional Population	83	17
Probation	78	22
Parole	88	12
Jail or Prison	93	7

It is evident from this table that women are less subject (in proportion to their presence) to being incarcerated and more likely to get a probationary sentence. The participation of the sexes in various crimes will be explored in more detail in other panels, but, in general, women commit fewer violent crimes than men.

We look next at the racial composition of offenders.

Sources: U.S. Department of Justice, Correctional Populations in the United States, annual, Prisoners in 2001, and Probation and Parole in the United States, 2001. These publications and data can be reached at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html.