A study of the female forger

Despite substantial increases in female arrests for fraud and forgery, only minimal research has focused on these offenders. A perspective is provided by this anicle, which reviews findings from a study of 32 convicted female forgers. These subjects were part of a larger sample of female offenders that were selected on a proportionate random basis by race and offense from the population of the Florida Correctional Institution at Lowell. The findings indicate that the majority of female forgers were white, although blacks were disproportionately represented, under 30, of average intelligence, single and had prior arrests for forgery related offenses. The female forger was typically found to operate alone, engage in little or no planning and to be motivated by a desire for financial gain. A preliminary typology which included two major categories, check bouncer and the forger was developed.