Within international discourse, female motivations for crime have received relatively little attention when compared to male offenders. Feminist contributions have shed light on this underresearched area with the majority of studies being conducted in the developed world. Using a sample of inmates convicted for drug smuggling on the island of Barbados, this article seeks to provide culturally specific data on the subject. Using a qualitative methodology, the study finds that in keeping with feminist research in the field, the motivations of the women were dominated by various forms of victimization that accounted for their present incarceration.
Women attending university are generally at a heightened risk of victimization. As such, there is an emerging body of literature exploring fear of crime among them. Although several studies have explored this phenomenon quantitatively, relatively few have investigated fear of crime among this group of women in their own words. Using a sample of women at the University of the West Indies, this study seeks to address this gap. The study reveals strong support for the shadow of sexual assault theory as the women interviewed overwhelmingly describe their fear of crime against the background of their perceived vulnerability to rape.
The constant exposure of children to community violence is an issue of great concern worldwide. Kingston, Jamaica, is one of the most violent cities in the Western Hemisphere, and children are exposed to acts of extreme brutality with considerable regularity. Using a qualitative methodology, this article seeks to examine the manner in which young Jamaican children, in one of Kingston’s most violent communities seek to make sense of what is taking place around them. A number of themes are identified within this struggle as the children are deeply affected by the violence that is a part of their daily existence. There is a need for urgent crisis intervention as the persistence of community violence in Kingston shows little sign of abating.
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