Patterns and Determinants of Female Criminality in Ado Ekiti Metropolis, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

This study explores the patterns and determinants of female criminality in ado- ekiti metropolis, ekiti state, Nigeria. While crime has traditionally been viewed as male- dominated, the increasing involvement of females in criminal activities calls for a deeper understanding of the underlying factors driving this trend. The study explores the types of crime commonly committed by women, the social, economic, psychological, and cultural influences that contribute to their involvement in crime, and their demographic characteristics of female offenders in the study area. A mixed- methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data from structured questionnaires with qualitative insights from interviews conducted with selected respondents, including law enforcements officers and community members. The study revealed that pretty theft, fraud, and drug- related offenses are among the most prevalent crimes involving women in Ado- Ekiti, key determinants includes poverty, unemployment, peer influences, and domestic challenges such as abuse and broken homes. This study contributes to existing criminological literature by highlighting the gendered dimensions of crime in a Nigerian context and offers recommendations for policy and further research. The study was exploratory, based on primary sources of data to derive the patterns and determinants of female criminality in ado- ekiti metropolis, Ekiti state, Nigeria. Ado Ekiti was used as the case study to this research. The data was transcribed, translated, and edited. Various analytical tool such as tables, and statistical package for Social science (SPSS) software were used in analysing data for this study. The study showed there is no specific pattern or set of factors associated with female- perpetrated crime in any civilization, human- existence, or gender. The results of this research study have further demonstrated that social variables and human behaviour have a role in initiating female criminality. The study concluded that exposure to a better society is another factor that influences female criminality. These findings highlighted the necessity of educating female children.