crime Flashcards
gender and crime statistics
official arrest data for 2019 shows that of all arrests 80% were men and 20% were women
in 2019 women made up just 5% of the overall prison population in england and wales
the debate
social constructionist view
structualist view
porter gender
less detectable offences
women commit offences that are less likely to be detected such as shoplifting
men tend to commit crimes that are more noticeable and are therefore more likely to be caught for it such as violence.
this suggests that women commit crimes that are easier to get away with.
evaluation:
in society today women are increasing involved in crimes that are associated with men or male traits such as violence. there has been an increase in the ladette culture.
pollak gender
chivalry thesis
the thesis argues that most criminal justice agents such as police officers and judges, are men and men are socialised to act in a chivalrous way towards women. men hate to accuse women and police officers hate to arrest them so are therefore more lenient with women so their crimes are less likely to end up in the official statistics. this gives an invalid picture and exaggerates the extent in gender differences when committing crime.
evaluation:
this isnt as relevant in todays society. as there are now more female officers which will be more likely to arrest other women.
cicourell gender
police typification
women who commit crimes may benefit from the typification of a criminal that police have.
police officers expect criminals to be men and therefore put more focus into searching for men.
this means women may commit as much crime as men but they are less likely to have their behaviour watched and therefore less likely to get caught.
evaluation:
realists argue that the police typification is true and that men do actually commit more crime
parsons gender
sex role theory
boys and girls are socialized differently and as a result boys are more likely to become delinquent.
because females carry out the expressive role in the family which involves them caring for their children and looking after the emotional needs of their husbands, it leads girls to internalise values such as care and empathy. these values reduce the likelihood of someone committing crime as these values make them less likely to harm others.
evaluation:
this idea is outdated - roles are less clear in todays society - they are mixed now. meaning that women are completing the expressive role less so they have more chance of committing crime.
messerschmidt gender
concept of masculinity can be used to provide an accurate explanation as to why men are so much more criminal than women.
Men have to constantly try to construct a masculine identity. A masculine lifestyle is created through
“work in the paid-labour market, the subordination of women and heterosexual desires”
when a man cannot achieve masculinity in one of the above ways then crime and deviance is used as a resource to gain masculinity. Men believe that breaking the rules of society alerts people of their masculinity. Criminal and deviant behaviour ensures that masculinity cannot be questioned
heidensohn gender
patriarchal society imposes greater control over women and this reduces their opportunities to offend.
Home - Women’s domestic role reduces their opportunities to offend. Women who try to reject their domestic role may find that their partners seek to impose it by force, often through domestic violence. Dobash and Dobash (1979) argue that men are violent towards women who dissatisfy them. They deny women money - and are also controlling over daughters. Daughters are less likely to be allowed to come and go as they please or stay out late than sons. As a result, they have less opportunity to engage in deviant behaviour.
Public - Women are controlled in public by the threat of male violence (especially sexual) against them. Heidensohn notes that women’s fears are heightened by media reporting. A distorted media view of the typical rapist is someone who hides and stalks random victims, which frightens women into staying indoors.
Work- Women’s behaviour is controlled by male managers or supervisors. Sexual harassment ‘keeps women in their place’. Women’s subordination reduces their chances to engage in any major criminal activity at work (e.g. women cannot be high enough in management to commit fraud).
the macpherson enquiry ethnicity
stephen lawrence case
institutional racism
gang of white youths attacked an african caribbean teenager after shouting racist abuse at them
police found racist
bowling and phillips ethnicity
high levels of racism when it comes to sentencing
evaluation:
futher studies into the london riots convictions found black people were given harsher sentences because they were involved in violence and looting whereas white people were just involved in looting
reiner ethnicity
canteen culture
amongst police, encouraged a racist stereotype and a mistrust of those from a non white background
black people were regarded as problematic for the police, they tend to be seen as crime prone disorderly argumentative irrational, likely to be carrying drugs or dangerous things
evaluation:
there has been changes in the police in order to remove racism
lea and young ethnicity
black crime higher than white crime
marginality: some ethnic groups are pushed to edge of mainstream society. this creates resentment and a sense of powerlessness which is further fueled by racism.
evaluation:
there have been many changes in society in recent years that should stop the marginalisation of ethnic minority groups. for example the intro of the equality act 2010. if they dont feel marginalised they wont face relative deprivation and wont form a subculture.
murray ethnicity
around 60% of afro carribbean males live with just one parent normally the mother.
links To single parent family theory and sewells idea of gang culture
evaluation:
it is too deterministic, not all kids who are raised in single parent families will turn into criminals.
arnot ethnicity
mass media black rap artists influence rap music encourages bling, violence and drugs and criminality media is hypodermic syringe ultra tough getto superstar
evaluation
too deterministic
hall et al ethnicity
policing the crisis
bourgeoisie can be blamed for making it seem as if ethnic groups commit the most crime
media created the moral panic of the black mugger- symbolising the disintergration of the social order
created conflict between black proletariats and white proletariats
leading to black people having a self fulfilling prophecy and becoming criminal.
evaluation
lea and young argue that the concept of the black mugger was not a realistic fear media didn’t create it but just reported on it.
cohen and young
media
stories related to crime have news values
so are newsworthy and are likely to be published
surette media
laws of opposites
media portrays a fictional representation of crime which makes them opposite to official statistics
for example
in fictional media violence, drugs and sex crimes are seen to be the most common crimes when in reality the most common crimes are speeding and littering.
copy cat behaviour
seen in:
- james bulgar case
- arnot - rap music
evaluation:
the idea of directly copying behaviour is seen to be too deterministic. futhermore a lot of the studies relate to children who are more prone to copying behaviour whereas adults are less likely to copy.
how does the media cause crime
left realists
lea and young argue that the media increases relative deprivation among marginalised groups.
bulimic society
working class turn to crime to be able to get the same luxurys as the rich that they cannot afford legitimately.
evaluation:
you can now buy things on finance so can access the expensive products.
how does the media cause crime
hall et al: policing the crisis
black mugger
hall et al argues that the emergence of black people carrying out muggings was a moral panic. the moral panic of the black mugger meant that black people were a scapegoat to distract attention from the true cause of problems such as unemployment.
evaluation:
functionalists argue that the media don’t create moral panics. functionalists believe that the media reports crime to remind people of the boundaries of society.
