Abstract
Reported prevalence rates indicate that females are responsible for between 4% - 5% of all sexual offences committed. Despite this growing recognition that females engage in harmful sexual behaviour that is similar in severity and type to males, existing research suggests that there may be a bias towards leniency in judicial systems for female sexual offenders. The current study investigates whether or not there are disparities in the way in which female sexual offenders are treated in judicial systems as compared to male sexual offenders. Specifically, we examine two separate sets of data. First, we examine a 12-month period of New Zealand Police statistics regarding the number of female sexual offenders (compared to male sexual offenders) who were charged with a sexual offence and whether they are proceeded to court action or not. Second, we examine New Zealand Police Crime Harm Index (CHI) data (a derived measure of sentencing length) to compare the severity of sentence imposed by the New Zealand court system on female (compared to male) sexual offenders. Results of the study suggest that female sexual offenders may be treated differentially. Police statistics demonstrate that a smaller percentage of females as compared to males proceed to 'court action', with a larger percentage of females 'not proceeding' or proceeding to 'non-court action'. The severity of sentence (as measured by the CHI) for charges that specified a male offender was greater for charges than that specified for a female offender. These findings are discussed in terms of gender differences in sex crimes committed, how these crimes are 'viewed' or processed by Police and judicial systems, as well as limitations of the present study.