Perceptions of Female Offenders

Dr. Brenda Russell is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Penn State Berks. She received her Ph.D at St. Louis University. Her scholarly and teaching interests include psychology and law, perceptions of victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, homicide defendants, and the social psychological and cognitive aspects of jury decision making. She is particularly interested in how gender and sexual orientation play a role in evaluating defendants in cases of domestic violence, rape, sexual coercion, bullying, and sexual harassment. Her research on domestic violence can be seen in her book entitled Battered Woman Syndrome as a Legal Defense: History, Effectiveness, and Implications (see more info). Dr. Russell also serves as consultant and program evaluator for various federal and state educational, law enforcement, justice, and treatment programs.

​Introduction.- The Social Construction of Norms: How Social Media Depicts Female Offenders.- Female Sexual Aggression on College Campuses: Prevelence, Correlates, and Perceptions.- Effects of Victim Gender, Age, and Sexuality on Perceptions of Sexual Assaults Committed by Women.- Intimate Partner Violence: Examining Evidence of Gender Symmetry.- Partner Abuse in Context: Control Tactics, Dominance, and the Role of Gender.- Genders Compared: How Perceptions of Dangerousness and Legal Intervention Differ by Gender.- The Impact of Familial Paternalism on Sentencing Decisions.- References.- Index.​​