Date
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
This study examined the impact of risk factors and existing federal sentencing policies and practices on the likelihood of recidivism for female white collar offenders. The research combined and expanded prior literature on female offending, white collar crime, and recidivism, by creating a “profile” of the female white collar offender, identifying risk factors of recidivism from female offending and feminist pathways literature present in the population of federal female white collar offenders, and informing revision of current federal sentencing policies that result in the imposition of unnecessarily harsh sanctions for this group of low-risk, first-time (and likely one-time), female offenders. No prior studies have applied theories of feminist pathways offending to recidivism by female white collar offenders. Data from a recent national data set of offenders who began a term of federal probation or supervised release between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2007 were used to provide a fresh look at female white collar offenders sentenced after implementation of the mandatory United States Sentencing Guidelines, but before judicial discretion was returned to federal sentencing courts by the United States Supreme Court. Overall, the study found that female white collar offenders are plagued by risks of recidivism common to all types of female offenders, including those recognized in pathways literature, and their profile more closely resembles the female offender than the public’s image of a “white collar” offender.