Judge Spares Woman from Jail for Theft Due to Her "Shopaholism"

	posted by Scott on Monday May 28, @11:04AM from the inequality/double-standards dept.
	In addition to the "battered wife syndrome," which has excused dozens of women from attacking and/or murdering their husbands, a U.S. court has now acknowledged "shopaholism," which can excuse women from theft. The Sydney Morning Herald reported here that a woman (whose salary was $250k/year to begin with) was not given a jail sentence for stealing more than $500,000 from her employer - because her "shopaholic" tendencies were a symptom of depression. In the end, she was sentenced to five years of probation.

	Source: Sydney Morning Herald [Australian newspaper] Note: article originally appeared in The Sun-Herald Title: Depressed thief spared from jail Author: Unknown Date: May 27, 2001

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"Shopaholism?" (Score:2) by Nightmist (nightmist@mensactivism.org) on Tuesday May 29, @10:18AM EST (#1) (User #187 Info) Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't the more accurate term for this woman's conditon be "cleptomania?" Shopaholism indicates that she is addicted to shopping, and not a compulsive thief, which is her defense. Geez.

Re:"Shopaholism?" (Score:2) by Nightmist (nightmist@mensactivism.org) on Tuesday May 29, @10:20AM EST (#2) (User #187 Info) Oh, I see. The thefts were from her employer and not the actual stores. Still... there must be a better term for this illness, if it is, indeed, an illness.

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