Editor’s Introduction: The Future of Feminist Criminology

• Author: Kristy Holtfreter
• Published date: 01 December 2018
• Date: 01 December 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918797415
• Subject Matter: Editorial

https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918797415

Feminist Criminology

2018, Vol. 13(5) 431 –434

© The Author(s) 2018

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DOI: 10.1177/0042085918797415

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Editorial

Editor’s Introduction: The

Future of Feminist Criminology

Feminist Criminology is the gold standard for scholarship on gender and crime. As the

official publication of the American Society of Criminology’s (ASC’s) Division on

Women and Crime (DWC), Feminist Criminology is a highly visible outlet with a

notable influence on the field. This standing is due in large part to the impressive

efforts of most recent Editor Rosemary Barbaret and the dedicated scholars who previ-

ously served in this capacity: Jana Jasinski, Helen Eigenberg, and Susan Sharp. Since

the first issue of Feminist Criminology was published in 2006, I have closely followed

the journal as a DWC member, served as a regular manuscript reviewer, and contrib-

uted my own scholarship for publication consideration. Like many DWC members, I

rely on work published in Feminist Criminology in my teaching, mentoring, and

research. It is an honor and privilege to serve as Editor and to continue the journal’s

upward trajectory.

My philosophy for editing Feminist Criminology is based on two decades of expe-

rience as an author, reviewer, and editorial board member for several journals and

scholarly presses in criminology and criminal justice and other fields. My plans for the

journal’s future are driven by my understanding of what the leading journal on gender

and crime should be: A journal that publishes research that (a) guides future theoretical

development and empirical research in gender and crime, (b) informs policy on women

and girls, and (c) expands the borders of feminist scholarship. These three criteria,

coupled with the assessments of reviewers, will guide my editorial decisions regarding

the publication of manuscripts.

Guiding Future Theoretical Development and Empirical

Research in Gender and Crime

Publishing work that guides future theoretical and empirical research is an established

hallmark of Feminist Criminology. As of July 2018, Feminist Criminology has pub-

lished 239 articles (including 37 currently in Online First). The most highly cited arti-

cles in the journal, published in the inaugural issue, have directly affected theoretical

development and empirical research by challenging mainstream theory and/or meth-

odological approaches to the study of gender and crime. For example, Belknap and

Holsinger’s (2006) “The gendered nature of risk factors for delinquency” has been

cited 465 times, Chesney-Lind’s (2006) “Patriarchy and crime: Feminist criminology

in an era of backlash” has been cited 353 times, and Burgess-Proctor’s (2006)

“Intersections of race, class, gender and crime: Future directions for feminist

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