Investigating the Impact of Women’s Family Position on Their Tendency Toward Delinquency

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of explaining and analyzing the impact of women’s family position within society on their tendency toward delinquency from the perspectives of criminal law and criminology. By examining the familial, economic, social, and occupational dimensions of women’s lives, the present study identifies the role of these factors in the formation of criminal behaviors and in shaping the response of the criminal justice system. The findings indicated that stable, supportive families with economic security provide an environment in which legal competencies, the ability to make lawful decisions, and emotional self-regulation are institutionalized among women, thereby significantly reducing their inclination toward criminal behavior. In contrast, family dysfunctions—including domestic violence, persistent conflict, emotional disintegration, and limited access to social and legal resources—increase women’s vulnerability, reduce their economic independence, weaken their legal and psychological capacity for self-defense, and consequently create conditions conducive to criminal offending. Furthermore, the economic conditions of the family, educational attainment, and socio-cultural status have a direct impact on women’s tendency toward delinquency and on the severity of the criminal justice system’s response. Low-income and poorly educated women, due to restricted access to legal protection and legal counseling, are often subjected to harsher punishments and face fewer opportunities to benefit from rehabilitative programs, whereas families possessing educational capital, cultural resources, and higher social status tend to play a preventive and deterrent role. The findings of this study emphasize that any prevention, correctional, and rehabilitation program designed for female offenders must adopt a multidimensional approach and simultaneously consider familial, economic, social, and occupational factors in order to achieve both individual and social criminal justice and reduce the cycle of delinquency. These findings highlight the necessity of designing and implementing educational, legal, supportive, and empowerment-oriented policies for vulnerable women, as well as strengthening the institution of the family and promoting healthy work environments. Such measures may serve as a foundation for preventive and corrective planning at both national and local levels.