Crime

Question 1

Claim 1; Women commit less crime than men.

Answer 1

Sex role theory; n and v associated with traditional femininity aren’t conductive to crime, whilst n and b associated with traditional masculinity are more likely to lead to crime.

Question 2

Claim 1; women commit less crime then men example

Answer 2

Parsons; females = expressive role in family, girls grow up internalising values eg caring and empathy which reduce likelihood of committing crime as less likely to harm others.

Question 3

Claim 1; women commit less crime then men evaluate

Answer 3

Due to caring role, women = attached to family and wider community. In terms of bonds of attachment theory; women less likely to commit crime.

Question 4

Claim 1; women commit less crime then men counter

Answer 4

This argument only focuses on why men commit crime and women don’t, doesn’t explain why some women do.

Question 5

Claim 2; women are convicted of less crimes than men

Answer 5

Due to chivalry thesis. Labelling theory applied to gender.

Question 6

Claim 2; women are convicted of less crimes than men example

Answer 6

Both police and courts are less likely to perceive women as criminals and treat women who are criminals more leniently.

Question 7

Claim 2; women are convicted of less crimes than men evaluate

Answer 7

Women aren’t perceived as “real criminals” and women who commit are seen to be acting abnormally. Women = subject to reverse sexism so less likely to receive prison sentences.

Question 8

Claim 2; women are convicted of less crimes than men counter

Answer 8

Feminists; female criminals = treated more harshly as they’re doubly deviant; broken law and feminine norms.

Question 9

Claim 3; men commit more crimes then women

Answer 9

Messerschmidt; masculinity is something men have to constantly work at.

Question 10

Claim 3; men commit more crimes then women example

Answer 10

Businessman achieves masculinity through power over women at work. Man with no power at work may express masculinity through control of women at home eg domestic violence.

Question 11

Claim 3; men commit more crimes then women evaluate

Answer 11

Men may express masculinity through criminal behaviour. Campbell; young men seek compensation for lack of breadwinner status through “aggressive masculinity”.

Question 12

Claim 3; men commit more crimes then women counter

Answer 12

Men commit more crime due to biological differences. Men have more testosterone; higher levels of aggression; higher levels of violent crime.

Question 13

Conclusion

Answer 13

Sociologists think women are convicted less due to how they’re perceived in society. Men commit more due to testosterone. Heidensohns control theory; women commit less due to less opportunities as they’re so controlled in society.

Question 14

Intro

Answer 14

OCS; recorded crime = masculine activity, 4/5 of offenders men.
Heidensohn; female crime either invisible or sociologists assumed stereotypical ideas on females.
This is due to male dominance of offenders and sociology, sociological theorising and vicarious identification.