sociology crime and gender

GENDER Crime and deviance

GENDER PATTERNS IN CRIME • 4 out of 5 convicted are males

• At 40 years old 9% of females had convictions compared to 32% of males.

• There is is a higher proportion of females than males convicted of property offences and more males are convicted of violent/ sexual offences.

• Males are likely to repeat to offend, have longer criminal careers and commit more serious crimes.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zucIocuW4eo

THE CHIVALRY THEORY• This theory argues most criminal justice agents are men- who are

socialised to act in a chivalrous (lenient) way towards women.

• Pollack argues men have a protective attitude towards women so they hate accusing, arresting them. Therefore, women's crimes are less likely to be in official statistics, suggesting they are invalid.

EVIDENCE AGAINST THE THEORY • Farrington and Morris' study of sentencing of theft found women

weren't sentenced more leniently.

• Buckle and Farrington witnessed 2 times more male shoplifters, but official statistics suggest this figure is equal.

BIAS AGAINST WOMEN

• Feminists think the criminal justice system is biased against women.

• Heidensohn argues courts treats females more harshly than males when they deviate from gender norms.

• Stewart found magistrates perceptions of female defendants characters were based on stereotypical gender roles. If they don't conform to accepted standards if motherhood, they are punished more harshly.

EXPLAINING FEMALE CRIME • Women in general commit less crime. Lombroso and Ferraro

argue there are very few "born female criminals".

• Sociologists believe social factors are the cause of gender differences in crime.

• There are three explanations:Functionalist sex role theory Patriarchal control theory Liberation theory

SEX ROLE THEORY • Parson argues the gender difference is due to the gender roles in

the nuclear family. Women doing the expressive roles gave girls a role model but it meant boys rejected feminine models of behaviour.

• Men play less of a socialising role so socialisation could be more difficult for boys.

• Cohen says this lack of a male role model means boys could turn to all male street gangs as a source of masculine identity.

• New right theorists believe they then commit crime to gain status.

CRITICISM • Walkate criticises this theory for its biological assumptions.

• She says that Parsons assumes that because women can bear children, they are best suited to the expressive role.

• She argues this theory is ultimately based on biological assumptions about sex differences.

PATRIARCHAL CONTROL • Heidensohn argues that patriarchal society imposes greater control

over women which reduces their opportunities to offend.

• She claims women are controlled at:

• At home

• In public

• At work

AT HOME • Dobash- found men control women through their financial power,

restricting their leisure time. • Daughters are also subject to patriarchy.

• They are less likely (than sons) to stay out late or come and go as they please. Consequently they develop a bedroom culture and socialise at home with friends and not in public.

• Also the requirements for them to do more housework means they have less opportunities to commit deviant acts.

IN PUBLIC • Women are controlled by the fear of male violence against them.

The Islington crime survey found 54% f women avoided going out at night in case of crime compared to 14% of men.

• Heidensohn notes that the media reporting of rapes adds to women's fear.

• In addition, women are controlled by the fear of being defined as not respectable. Inappropriate dress could gain the reputation.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAyXSfgbLg0

AT WORK• Women are controlled by male supervisors and managers.

• Sexual harassment keeps women in their place. Furthermore, their position reduces their chances to engage in major criminal activity at work.

• However, Heidesohn also recognises patriarchy can push women into crime. For example, our women could resort to theft or prostitution.

PATRIARCHAL: CLASS • Careen interviewed 39 15-46 year olds working class women who

had been convicted of a range of crimes. 20 were in custody or prison. This showed that most convicted females were working class.

• Hirsch argues humans act rationally and are controlled by being offered a deal – rewards in return for conforming to social norms. If rewards are greater than risks, people then turn to crime.

WOMEN AND CRIME • Many women reached the

conclusion that crime was the only route to a decent standard of living. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

• Carlen concludes that for these women:

• Poverty • In an oppressive family

environment are the main causes for women who turn into crime.

EVALUATION • Heidesohn shows many patriarchal controls that stop women

from deviating.

• Carlen shows the failure of patriarchal society to deliver the promised deals to some women removes the controls which prevents them from offending.

• Criticism• They see women's behaviour as determined by external forces,

so they ignore free will and choice

• Carlen's sample was small and unrepresentative.

THE LIBERATION THEORY • If society becomes less patriarchal and more equal, women's

crime rates would be similar to men's.

• This theory is put forwards by Adler.

• She argues as women become more liberated from patriarchy, their crimes will become as serious as men's.

EVIDENCE • Between the 1950s- 1990s, female's share offences rose from 1

to 7 to 1 to 6.

• There has been media talk of girl gangs. • Denscombes study shows teenagers self images means females

are less likely as males to engage in risk taking behaviour.

CRITICISM • The female crime rate began rising in the 1950s, long before

women's liberation movement in the 1960s.

• Most Female criminals are working class; the group least likely to be influenced by the liberation movement.

• Chesney-Lind found women doing male crimes was because of their link with prostitution.

WHY DO MEN COMMIT CRIME• Feminist argue that non- feminist theories have explained all

crime, rather than male crimes only.

• Carlen says although criminologists have focused on male criminality, they haven't asked what it is about being male that leads men to offend.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjIzX-ZaJHw

MASCULINITY AND CRIME • Messerschmidt sees crime and deviance as resources to achieve

masculinity. There are different forms of rule breaking to achieve masculinity which is dependent on class and ethnicity.

• White middle class youths: subordinate themselves to teachers to get middle class status. Outside of school, they drink to show their masculinity.

• White working class youths: have less chance of educational success so their masculinity may oppose in ad out of school. E.g. Opposing teachers authority and acting tough.

• Black lower working class: they have few expectation of a reasonable job and may use gang membership and violence to express their masculinity.

CRITICISM• Messerschmidt is been Calle bed for:

• Not all men use crime to accomplish masculinity. E.g. They may go to the gym.

• He over works the masculinity concept to explain all male crime.