Changing Perceptions of the Etiology of Crime : The Relationship Between Abuse and Female

This study examines the relationship betweenfemale criminality and the experience of abuse. A survey was administered to 557 female inmates at two correctional centers in Oklahoma. Eighty percent of the subjects reported being abused, and 72.3 percent of the subjects surveyed experienced at least two types of abuse. Abused inmqtes were more likely to report substance abuse problems, emotional problems, interpersonal problems, and have a pessimistic attitude towards life after prison. Our findings suggest the needfor more research about the connection between women's criminality and abuse, and the development of programs for incarcerated women who have been abused.