The "Chivalrous" Treatment of the Female Offender in the Arms of the Criminal Justice System: A Review of the Literature

The available literature on the “chivalrous” treatment of the female offender by the criminal justice system is reviewed in an effort to ascertain the nature of such treatment. Three characterizations of the female offender which have influenced the perpetuation and survival of the “chivalry” proposition are discussed: the instigative female offender, the sexualized female offender, and the protected female offender. The author concludes that the notion of a “chivalrous” justice system is largely a myth, and directions for future research are presented.