An insight into the nature and extent of female offending.
An analysis of the current trend to ‘search for equivalence’ in criminality between women and men.
An overview of the arrival of the ‘new female offender’ in the form of the ‘mean girl’, the female sex offender and the female terrorist.
The impact of the ‘mean girl’ discourse on the punishment of girls and women.
An exploration of women in prison and the concept of vulnerability.
An analysis of what human rights can do for women in prison with a focus on the three main issues that face the female prisoner: the over-representation of women in suicide and self-harm statistics; contact with children and families; and the experience of girls in prison. In doing so we consider in more detail the relevance of human rights legislation.
