Study: Female offenders

View the most recent version.

Females accounted for a small proportion of all alleged offenders in 2005 and, when they did offend, they tended to commit offences such as theft, common assault, bail violations and fraud, according to a new report.

The report showed that females aged 12 and older accounted for about 1 out of every 5 people accused by police services of committing a violation against the Criminal Code. The findings are based on data from a subset of 122 mostly urban police services located in nine provinces.

Almost half (47%) of these females were accused of committing a property crime, while another 28% were accused of committing a violation against a person. In comparison, 39% of males were accused of committing a property offence, and were 34% accused of a violation against a person.

An additional 17% of females were in conflict with police for violations against the administration of justice, such as bail violations and failure to appear in court. The remaining 7% were accused of "other" violations against the Criminal Code (e.g., weapons offences, prostitution).

Theft of property (other than a motor vehicle) was the most prevalent crime committed by females. In 2005, 291 females for every 100,000 in the population were accused of this offence, about half the rate among males.

Relative to other types of offences, the rate of fraud (84 accused for every 100,000 population) was also high among females. Yet, this was also half the rate among males.

Females were far less likely than males to commit homicide, robbery, sexual assault, breaking and entering, motor vehicle theft or mischief.

Rates among females were anywhere from 7 to 10 times lower, depending on the offence. For instance, for every 100,000 females, 13 were accused of robbery. In comparison, the rate for males was 110.

At the national level, the rate at which females were charged with violent crimes grew between 1986 (the start of the study's reference period) and 2005, with the steepest growth occurring before the early 1990s.

Among female youth, the charge rate for "serious violent crime" has more than doubled from 60 female youth charged per 100,000 population in 1986 to 132 in 2005. The rate among female adults moved from 25 to 46 per 100,000 over that period.

Serious violent crime includes murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm, unlawfully causing bodily harm, discharge of a firearm with intent, abduction of a person under 14 and robbery.

Since 1986, the gap between female adults and male adults charged with violent crime has narrowed. This is because, in contrast to adult females, the rate at which adult males have been charged with common assault began a downward trend in 1995. Rates among women did not begin to decrease until 2002.

As a result, for every 1 adult female charged in 2005 for violent offences, 5 adult males were charged; in 1986, the ratio was 1 female for every 9 males.

Because females generally accounted for a small proportion of those accused and charged by police, they also accounted for few accused appearing before court. Compared with males, females tended to receive non-custodial sentences when found guilty, even when the same type of offence had been committed.

This may be due to a couple of factors: females are less likely than males to be repeat offenders, a factor taken into account at sentencing, and they are less likely to be charged with multiple offences.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3313.

The Juristat: "Female offenders in Canada," Vol. 28, no. 1, (85-002-XIE, free) is now available from our website. From the Publications module, under Free Internet publications, choose Crime and justice, then Juristat. A paper version (85-002-XPE, $11/$100) is also available.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (toll-free 1-800-387-2231; 613-951-9023), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.