In recent weeks there have been two attempts to kill the President—both by women. Do you attach any special significance to that?
All such criminal behavior is rooted in psychopathology, but manifests itself in diverse ways. The same woman who because of her pathological state might have taken her own life or abused her children with kitchen utensils in the past now finds a new victim and weapons outside the home. She might be motivated by the same frustrations as years ago, but she acts them out differently. Just as women are taking on such traditionally male roles as stevedore, airline pilot and telephone linesman, they're becoming assassins too.
Is the crime rate among women growing?
Yes—and according to the FBI, between 1960 and 1972 the arrest rate for females rose three times faster than among males. In 1968 the first woman made her way onto the FBI's Most Wanted List. Since then there have been five. Women's crime rates are increasing in burglary, armed robbery and possession of a deadly weapon. Significantly, the number of females under 18 arrested for robbery in the last decade has jumped more than 500 percent.
How big a part does women's liberation play in female criminality?
The dramatic rise cannot be directly attributed to one factor. The feminist connection is that women are taking on more of the behavior of men. This also means taking on the stress, strain and frustration that males have traditionally dealt with. Many of these women, unskilled and untrained, may turn in desperation to crime. There was a time when a female confined her criminal acts to prostitution and shoplifting. Now she is committing armed robbery, auto theft and burglary, traditionally male crimes, so that we see a definite change in both the dimension and form of female criminality.
So more criminal areas are opening up for women?
Yes, just as more legitimate endeavors have become more available to women. The shoplifter of the past may now be found working in a bank where she has an opportunity to embezzle. Women who were content with lifting a $10 radio now want a truckload of color television sets. Today there would be nothing unusual about women hiring a truck and backing it up to a department store loading area. Women can commit crimes like that without being immediately suspected.
Are women like Ma Barker and Bonnie Parker historical role models?
No. They stood out because they were atypical of their times.
Why does a woman coming from a good family get into criminal activity?
Years ago a girl like Patty Hearst might have rebelled by wearing a short skirt, smoking cigarettes and staying out after midnight. Now it's "in" to engage in revolutionary activity. Rebellion against parents is now manifested against society.
Did the Symbionese Liberation Army by its statements and acts have a feminist message?
Along with the ramshackle SLA hideout that burned down went some of the myths of the genetic passivity of females. We saw that the so-called "gentler sex" knew very well how to handle a gun. There are differences between men and women. But the major one, strength, has been equalized by a gun.
Are women becoming more associated with political crimes?
Women have always been politically active. In the past this took the form of sign-painting, typing and envelope-licking. In the 1960s women looking for other outlets took part in student strikes, riots and demonstrations. In the 1970s it's kidnapping and arson. Women now say they want to be "where the action is." They are no longer content to make the coffee; they want to make the bombs.
How does "Squeaky" Fromme, one of Charles Manson's girls, fit into this pattern?
The traditional and the new are merging inside her. There was the traditional relationship with a male criminal. But once Squeaky was arrested, she showed an independent behavior by wanting to defend herself in court.
What about Sara Jane Moore?
She was certainly independent. It appears that she was testing the Establishment. Divorced and on her own she had difficulty, as many women do, in figuring out where she belonged in society. Ten years ago she might have tried to kill herself instead of the President.
Do lower class women participate in political crimes?
No. A poor woman is concerned with getting through the day. A woman supporting six fatherless children would rather commit a robbery that will help pay the bills than get caught trying to kill the President. Many of these lower class women think the feminist movement is made up of "kooks" and "lesbians." And no one has ever said to me, "Now I'm liberated so I'll go rob a bank." Women's lib is only beginning to trickle down to the lower class.
Is Joan Little an example of this trickling down process?
I don't think so. Her behavior was motivated by fear. However, murdering the jailer, who forced her to perform a sexual act for him, was another symbol of what women can do in self-defense—that women are capable of protecting themselves.
What about girl gangs, most of whose members come from lower class homes?
They're younger and more independent and more involved in the changing roles of women. They used to function as auxiliaries to boy gangs, carrying weapons, being posted as lookouts and standing in as alibis. Now their search for action has led to the formation of all-girl gangs. Their motivations—gaining status by being tough or supporting drug habits—are very similar to those of the boys. The main difference is their weapons—instead of knives they may use nail files and high-heel shoes as weapons.
Are law enforcement officials cracking down more on women criminals?
There are many more arrests, and judges aren't as inclined to let women off as easily. But the traditional paternalism still exists. Consciously or unconsciously there is the thinking that "women don't do these things." Although she may be under surveillance, a woman is just not considered as dangerous as a male with the same criminal history. Some women told me they liked to go before a male judge because they feel they can "con" him.
Have women infiltrated organized crime?
Obviously the Mafia is not an Equal Opportunity Employer. But the Mafia, as a profit-making organization, will take advantage of competency when they see it. Women come in handy in the area of drug-selling. They have entered organized crime much faster than I had anticipated. Being couriers in the narcotics trade is no longer enough; they want to be sellers.
Does female crime pay?
In some cases women are prostitutes because they can make more money than by standing at a machine in a factory. They can also set their own hours. Dull jobs have sometimes led women into criminal behavior. One woman told me that prostitution was against her upbringing—so she robbed a bank.
Is there a future in crime for women?
Very definitely, just as there is for men unless we can come up with desperately needed reforms. But we must not confuse two separate issues: women's rights and women's crime. We certainly would not stop a man from seeking expanded opportunities just because they could possibly lead to deviant behavior. Why should we stop a woman?
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
