Incorporating Women and Crime Topics into Criminology Classes: Assignments, Exercises, and Projects.

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Numerous authors have recently commented about the relative neglect of any meaningful discussion in the sociology classroom of women as criminals and crime victims (see Wilson and Rigsby 1975; Smart and Smart 1978; Morash et al. 1982; Gibbons 1983; Renzetti 1984; Wright 1985). For example, Wilson and Rigsby (1975) and Gibbons (1983) have noted the conspicuous failure of criminology textbooks to examine women and crime topics. In addition, Wright (1985) has provided empirical evidence which indicates that: (1) classes specifically devoted to women and crime topics are much less likely to be offered in sociology than in criminal justice departments; and (2) introductory criminology classes taught by sociologists seldom extensively cover women and crime issues. In this paper I recommend a variety of books, assignments, exercises, and projects which can be incorporated into introductory criminology classes to compensate for the omission of women and crime topics in textbooks and curricula.Â