Women Offenders' Emotional Experience of Crime JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND OFFENDER PROFILING

The main aim of the study was to examine the emotional experiences of crime amongst women offenders. 128 women offenders, with a mean age of 36.40 years (SD = 11.12), completed a questionnaire exploring emotions they had experienced whilst committing a crime. Participants included incarcerated individuals as well as those in communitybased projects. Smallest Space Analysis of the emotions highlighted four key themes; Depression, Distress, Elation and Calm. Results reflected the circumplex model of emotions (Russell, 1997), but highlighted strong distinction between pleasure and displeasure. Overall, the majority of women reported negative emotional experiences of crime. Understanding how individuals felt during their crime commission, offers alternative perspectives of criminal behaviour and a framework for future explorations. Results offer crucial insights for policy makers, criminal investigations and therapeutic treatment options.