Citation

Leonard ED. Prison J. 2001; 81(1): 73-86.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0032885501081001006

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study describes women incarcerated at a California prison for the death of their male abusers and compares them with a statewide sample of women inmates. Women convicted for using lethal violence against abusive partners differ from the broader population of California women prisoners on key demographic markers. Furthermore, despite a clear lack of criminal or violent histories, the overwhelming majority of battered women are convicted of first- or second-degree murder and receive long, harsh sentences whether they are represented by private or by public attorneys. This research suggests the possibility of a systematic criminal justice bias against women who kill their male partners.