Document Type
Thesis
Publication Date
5-5-2026
Abstract
This study examined how biased gendered language in court proceedings influences sentencing outcomes. Drawing on Social Role Theory, Chivalry Theory, Role Congruity Theory, and the Evil Woman Hypothesis, the present study explored how women who commit violent crimes may receive harsher punishment not only for their crime but also for violating traditional expectations of femininity. Using court documents, we conducted a linguistic analysis of courtroom officials’ statements using the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) software. Twenty-nine LIWC dictionaries, which were selected in relevance to gender bias, emotion, power, and social perception, were used to quantify word patterns of biased language for each case. Independent t-tests showed an emphasis on home, family, and explicit female identification in reference to female perpetrators, whereas language referring to male offenders emphasized achievement, conflict, and a negative tone. Multiple regression revealed that female perpetrators received longer sentences when they were referred to as less polite, less positively regarded, and less sexually desirable. Thus, women who do not conform to expectations of being submissive or family-oriented tend to receive harsher sentences, likely because they are perceived as more deviant and less deserving of leniency. Additionally, the frequency with which the broad social category and power words were used indicate that female perpetrators are punished for who they are rather than the crime they committed. By investigating how gender bias appears in judicial language, this study aimed to reveal how unequal treatment of women continues to be reinforced within the legal system.
Recommended Citation
Schloemer, Sydney '26 and Karris, Dorothy '26, "Sentencing the “Evil Woman”: Exploring the Impact of Gendered Language on Sentencing Outcomes for Violent Female Offenders" (2026). Student Research. 720, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/studentresearchother/720
Comments
Completed as part of PSY493: Senior Thesis with Dr. Phoenix Crane.