Angels or Demons: The blurred lines of women who are offenders

Tuesday, September 23, 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Pathstone Latitude, 115 Rogers St, Mankato

When innocent people are harmed by women's crimes, it is easy to view women as demons with malicious intensions, however, many women who participate in crimes feel fear, hopelessness, and confusion. Their crimes are not committed with malicious intent, but through their compliance with the demands of potentially violent partners, but that does not make them angels either. We will walk through three different case studies to examine the complexities of women offenders: human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and terrorism.

Presenter:

• Pat Nelson, Ph.D., Professor and Department Chair, MSU Policing Studies Department

Pat joined the Minneapolis Police Department in September 1997 and served as a patrol officer in the 4th precinct, along with a SWAT Crisis Negotiator and an academy instructor until she was promoted to Sergeant in 2011. After the promotion, she served as a patrol sergeant in the 1st precinct, and an investigator in property crimes, Robbery, Sex Crimes, and Crimes Against Children until she was medically retired in 2013, after being hit by a drunk driver while on duty. Pat joined the Minnesota State University, Mankato Law Enforcement program in 2012 and is currently a tenured, full professor serving as the Department Chair for the Department of Criminal Justice and the Program Director for the Policing Studies Program, which is the largest 4-year Professional Peace Officer Education Program in the State of Minnesota. She teaches in areas such as Communication, Terrorism, Gangs, Mass Shootings, Political Violence, Criminal Law and Procedure, Women and Crime, Victimology, and Leadership. She has also served on the MN POST Board Advisory Rule Making Committee.

Sponsor:

• Steve Gilber