[QUOTE 3037308, member: 1314"]Very few women:
WALSH, Catherine 1828 14 Apr Murder of her child; old bailey
A separate crime of Infanticide was brought in to deal with women killing their children, I believe, later that century - a recognition of post-birth trauma - and the 'punishment' would've been the asylum I suppose.[/QUOTE]
Women always got a rough deal, many were also driven to crime just to support their families. Even the most petty crimes were considered serious. Also up until 1828 there was the crime of "Petty Treason". This reasoned that if a Woman kiled her husband it was an offence against her betters and hence the social structure through to the King.
Petty Treason carried the same penalties as High Treason.
... and even later the system worked against women
In the 18th Century there was an active campaign to deport women to Australia for the most minor offences. Unbelievably in this day and age they were part of a policy to get more women to Australia to offer "services" and intended as "breeding stock" to populate the Australian. The book "The Floating Brothel" by Sian Rees is a difficult, but superb read on this subject