Pathways of Arab/ Palestinian Women in Israel to Crime and Imprisonment: An Intersectional Approach

Abstract

Drawing on intersectionality theory, the article presents pathways of Arab/Palestinian in Israel to crime and imprisonment.The data base comprises of in-depth interviews of three groups: Arab/Palestinian women incarcerated in Israeli prisons for conventional offenses, law enforcement and corrections personnel, and Arab/Palestinian community leaders. Court and prison records were used to validate the interviews of the female offenders (N=10).The study identifies three pathways that lead Arab/Palestinian women to crime and imprisonment. They include: abusive homes and women’s attempts to resist gender oppression, association with criminal men or forbidden potential mates, and managing family-honor expectations. The interviewed Arab/Palestinian women offenders also emphasized how distinct and morally superior they are compared to their sisters who perpetrate security offenses or acts of terrorism. The implications of the study for theory and policy are drawn and discussed.