Men have committed and continue to commit the vast majority of crimes (or at least recorded crimes). In general terms, roughly 80% of those convicted of serious offences in England and Wales are male. Perhaps the most startling differences are revealed in prison population figures; in April 2009, out of 82,940 prisoners in England and Wales, only 4,289 were women (just over 5%).
This article looks at how gender influences the way the media represent crime. In particular, I examine the media portrayal of female criminals, especially violent offenders and those found guilty of murder. Murder is the most serious of crimes, and if crime is typically seen as a male preserve, then focusing on the coverage of women murderers will provide an interesting angle on the media’s representation of criminals.
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