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
Masculinity thesis: What is Messerchmidt’s normative masculinity?
The ideal man which many find hard to live up too. Traits such as: toughness, strength, in charge
Masculinity thesis: What is central in explaining why men commit more crime than women?
The competitive nature of masculinity and need for control are central in explaining why men commit more crime.
What has created a crisis of masculinity?
Decline in manual labour has created a crisis of masculinity
What does Katz recognise the need for?
Status, success and control, pointing to the thrill and excitement that is gained from criminal activity
Changing gender roles: Liberation Thesis
-Growing female crime may be due to changing gender roles
-Women have more freedom and becoming more successful than men in education & the labour market
-Controls over women are weakening
Changing gender roles: What is a ‘Ladette’ Culture?
Now much more of a masculinised ‘ladette’ culture where young women adopt behaviours associated with young men eg drinking, gang culture, risk taking
Changing gender roles: ‘Ladette’ Culture: Why is there an increase in female violence?
-Increase in female violence due to changes in labelling and criminalisation of girls
-CJS now reacting more seriously
-Main ofenses women commit: drug ofenses, criminal damage, shoplifting
-Still tends to be less serious than crimes committed by men.
