10. Gender differences in C&D Flashcards
What is The Chivalry thesis?
An underestimation of female crime
The Chivalry Thesis - Evidence for
-Women are consistently treated more leniently by the law
-Female first offenders are half as likely to be given an immediate imprisonment as males
-Women more likely to receive community service sentences than imprisonment
-Female offenders usually regarded as less serious than men
Chivalry Thesis - Evidence against
-Women actually being sentenced more harshly for lesser crimes
-Women who violate socially acceptable patterns of behaviour risk harsher punishment than men
-Men more violent than women but get harsher sentences for similar levels of violence
Chivalry Thesis - evidence against: What are female offenders subject to?
-Subject to double jeopardy - on trial for crime and how much they conform or deviate from stereotypes of femininity.
-‘Evil women theory’ women who are seen as sexually promiscuous neglectful mothers or as violent are perceived in a far worse term than men
Conclusions of the Chivalry thesis
-Not much evidence to support chivalry thesis
-Women receive less harsh sentences because they commit less serious offences
-Women are expected to be good so punished when they are not.
Sex-role theory: How are girls socialised differently to boys?
-Good female role model in mother emphasising care & nurture
-Boys seek male role models and join subcultures if dad is absent
-Female criminals have experienced less mothering showing how important mothers are
Sex-role theory: Why do some female criminals steal and why do they turn to crime?
-Steal to provide for children indicating sex- role theory
-Blame lack of money, no job, drinking & drugs as the reasons they turn to crime
Class & Gender Deals: What does Carlen argue about control theory?
-Social class and gender are deeply connected in female crime.
-Female criminals are most likely WC and have less control or reason to conform than MC females
-These females: little success in society, drug & alcohol addictions, experienced poverty etc
Class & Gender deals: What do females that conform have?
Tighter controls and are subject to class and gender deals
What are Class and Gender deals?
-Class = material rewards that arise from working in paid employment
-Gender = rewards that arise from fulfilling roles in the family
AO3 for Class & Gender deal theory
-Female criminals are notoriously from difficult and poor backgrounds
-Applies not only to women but men too
-Very small study
Control Theory - Social Control
-Females are more controlled than males through socialisation and cultural expectations. 3 key areas society controls females: At home, work and in public.
Control Theory: What are the 3 key areas where patriarchal society controls women freedom?
- At home: lack of time through childcare and housework keeps women at home, restricting opportunity for crime
- In public: fear of being attacked and after dark means women don’t go out as much
- At work: workplaces dominated by men stopping female employees exerting their own interests or ideas.
Masculinity thesis
-Number of different forms of masculinity that change over time
-Normative masculinity: the ideal man which many men find hard to live up to with traits such as being in charge, toughness & strength
-Males have to work hard to portray themselves as masculine as its seen as an accomplishment
Masculinity thesis: What are the 2 different types of men prone to crime?
-Some have power, status & control at work expressing their masculinity over others
-Some powerless at work so express masculinity at home through control & violence
-Both types of men prone to crime