ABSTRACT
Very little research work has been carried out on female offending in the Caribbean. The researchers’ neglect of the study is quite likely the result of the numbers. Women in the Caribbean account for a very small percentage of the overall prison population. Many researchers however, believe that official figures do not truly reflect the extent of women’s criminal involvement. Research in the United States indicates that women benefit from the importance placed on their role in maintaining and protecting family life. This is seen as being more important than the economic support that men may provide. There has been no research into the extent to which such considerations affect the decisions of the justice system in the Caribbean region. Using a qualitative methodology, by way of in-depth interviews with nine Magistrates responsible for deliberating on matters related to – among other crimes – drug crimes and shoplifting in Barbados, this paper seeks to analyse the extent to which these factors are taken into consideration at the time of sentencing. It examines the gendered decisions made by the justice system and argues that because of their perceived responsibilities to their children, many female offenders are indeed treated favourably by the courts.
