Open AccessRace, Battered Women, and the Criminal Justice System
Author(s) -
Harini Kav
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
political science undergraduate review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2562-1289
pISSN - 2562-1270
DOI - 10.29173/psur5
Subject(s) - criminal justice , legislature , criminology , political science , theory of criminal justice , economic justice , law , race (biology) , domestic violence , poison control , sociology , suicide prevention , gender studies , medical emergency , medicine
This paper looks at the criminal case of Deborah Peagler and the California habeas law and explores the effectiveness of legislative changes to domestic battery laws as a mechanism for change in the criminal justice system in regards to its treatment of domestic violence survivors accused of committing a crime against their abuser. It focuses on the androcentric and racialized nature of the criminal justice system and argues that while legislative changes brought about by social movements facilitate opportunities for women like Peagler to pursue just outcomes, they do not counter the gender biases prevalent in the justice system and, alone, are insufficient in improving the treatment of domestic violence survivors in the criminal justice system.