The future of feminist criminology

Abstract

This paper outlines the origins of feminist criminology, tracing them to the 1960s, especially the social and cultural shifts of that period and the student movement, noting that approaches such as new deviancy theory did not provide any answers to the questions raised by pioneers in the field. The history of feminist perspectives is summarised and claims are asserted that these are the most successful developments in criminology of the second half of the 20th century. A number of cautions and criticisms are suggested, followed by several outstanding examples of recent scholarship and finally some ideas of blue sky thinking and proposals of areas which may be developed further in the future.