Continuity or Change ? Female Crime in the 19th-Century Netherlands

This article shows that there was long-term stability in the female share of prosecutions and convictions in Holland between 1750 and 1838. Between 1750 and 1811 women generally represented 30 to 40 percent of the prosecutions. The most obvious explanation for high female crime rates in Holland is the high level of urbanization. The relatively independent position of women caused greater risks of them becoming involved with the law. The regional data between 1811 and 1838 suggest that there were also extensive continuities in the proportion of female offenders between 1750 and 1838. The nation... Mehr ...