CRIME AND DEVIANCE - Gender - 1) Gender Crime Statistics / Data, Parsons, Pollak, Carlen

Question 1

TRUE OR FALSE: Violent crimes are more so committed by WOMEN than men!

Answer 1

FALSE: Men commit more violent crimes than women (statistically)

Question 2

TRUE OR FALSE: Any crime that requires interacting with someone is often committed more by a MAN than a woman!

Answer 2

TRUE!

Question 3

TRUE OR FALSE: MEN commit more sexual offences than women by around 97%!

Answer 3

TRUE!

Question 4

TRUE OR FALSE: MEN commit more non-utilitarian crimes.

Answer 4

FALSE: Women actually commit more non-utilitarian crimes!

Question 5

Who are often the victims of violent crimes more: MEN OR WOMEN?

Answer 5

MEN!

Question 6

Who are often the victims of domestic crimes more: MEN OR WOMEN?

Answer 6

WOMEN!

Question 7

Where does most FEMALE violence happen / take place?

Answer 7

In the home / domestically!

Question 8

TRUE OR FALSE: MEN are more likely to be victims of violent crimes (such as mugging)

Answer 8

TRUE!

Question 9

Are WOMEN more or less likely to be murdered by a stranger?

Answer 9

They are LESS likely to be murdered by a stranger –> Women are more likely to be murdered by an acquaintance or someone in their own home, than strangers on the street!

Question 10

What statistics of convicted offenders in England and Wales are men?

Answer 10

4 out of 5!

Question 11

By the age of 40, what percentage of WOMEN have a criminal conviction?

Answer 11

Around 10% (9%)!

Question 12

By the age of 40, what percentage of MEN have a criminal conviction?

Answer 12

Around 30% (32%)!

Question 13

TRUE OR FALSE: A higher proportion of MEN are convicted of property offences, like shoplifting!

Answer 13

FALSE: WOMEN are, not men!

Question 14

Are ‘FEMALE CRIMES’, such as shoplifting, MORE or LESS LIKELY to be noticed?

Answer 14

LESS LIKELY!

Question 15

Why are ‘WOMEN’S CRIMES’ less likely to be detected or reported?

Answer 15

They are seen as mothers and like they need to be protected, because they are women. Women are far less likely to be sent to prison, especially if they are mothers!

Question 16

What Sociologist covers the Sex Role Theory?

Answer 16

PARSONS!

Question 17

(PARSONS) What does the Sex Role Theory explain?

Answer 17

This theory explains gender differences in offending, in terms of the differences in gender socialisation, gender roles and gendered identities.

Question 18

(PARSONS) TRUE OR FALSE: The norms and values associated with MASCULINITY are not likely to lead to crime!

Answer 18

FALSE: The norms and values associated with FEMININITY are not likely to lead to crime; the OPPOSITE is said for MASCULINITY!

Question 19

(PARSONS) What did Parsons argue about the ‘expressive role’ in the home and how it leads to women committing less crime?

Answer 19

He argued that, because women carry out this ‘expressive role’, which involved them caring for the children and looking after the emotional needs of their husbands with the ‘warm bath’, girls grow up to INTERNALISE norms and values regarding kindness, being empathetic and caring and being subservient!

Because of these characteristics that women possess, this reduced the likelihood of them committing a crime, as they are less likely to harm others, due to their caring nature!

Question 20

(PARSONS) How can Parsons’ argument link to Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory?

Answer 20

As women take on the child caring role, they are more effectively ATTACHED to their families and wider communities than men!

It is traditionally women who keep in touch with relatives and get to know their children’s friends’ families; they thus bond into local communities.

In terms of the Bonds of Attachment Theory, women are thus more attached to wider society and are less likely to commit crime!

Question 21

(PARSONS) Boys and girls are socialised differently by giving them different toys. What is this called?

Answer 21

CANALISATION - Girls are socialised differently to boys –> Girls are given hoovers as toys, whilst boys are given trucks and guns.

Question 22

(PARSONS) How does the ‘Dual Burden’ and the ‘Triple Shift’ link to the idea that women commit less crime?

Answer 22

Because traditional gender roles involved women being busier than men (especially since they take on the ‘dual burden’ and the ‘triple shift’) this reduced the OPPORTUNITIES for them to commit crime (they are TOO BUSY to commit crimes)!

HOWEVER = This means that ONLY men should be committing crimes / be in crime statistics, but they are not. Is this because we have broken away from traditional gender roles??

Question 23

What does Sutherland say about the socialisation of children and how that leads to crime?

Answer 23

He says that boys are taught to be ‘rough and tough’, which makes them more likely to become a delinquent = (This links to Miller and Focal Concerns)!

Question 24

(PARSONS) What does he say about the socialisation of children and how it leads to crime?

Answer 24

He says that masculinity was internalised during adolescence, which leads to boys engaging in more delinquent behaviour than girls, as boys have been socialised to be ‘rough and tough’!

Question 25

TRUE OR FALSE: According to Cohen, WOMEN are more likely to be frustrated in the system (Status Frustration) and are more likely to commit crime in the pursuit of status!

Answer 25

FALSE = MEN are more likely to be frustrated in the system (Status Frustration) and are more likely to commit crime in the pursuit of status!

Question 26

(PARSONS) What are 2 of the evaluating points for Parsons’ Sex Role Theory?

Answer 26

1. Our understanding of gender roles and ideas regarding gender have changed a lot in society today –> Maybe the socialisation of children has to change / ideas of masculinity and femininity need to or possibly have changed?
2. WALKLATE - They said that, just because women are biologically suited to having children, this does not mean that they have to fulfil an expressive role or conform to a gender stereotype!

Question 27

What Sociologist studied the Chivalry Thesis?

Answer 27

Otto Pollak!

Question 28

(POLLAK) What is Chivalry?

Answer 28

The medieval knightly system with its religious, moral and social code. The idea that MEN SHOULD PROTECT and LOOK AFTER WOMEN → EG: Men should hold open a door for a woman or put their coat over a puddle so they do not get their shoes wet when they walk through it.

Question 29

(POLLAK) What did he blame for an imbalance in crime statistics?

Answer 29

He blamed PATERNALISTIC VALUES of men towards women - He suggested that the imbalance in the rates of male and female criminality was a MISINTERPRETATION, due to the paternalistic attitudes of men towards women → The fatherly attitudes of men towards women! He says that it is down to the idea of ‘chivalry’!

Question 30

(POLLAK) Explain what the Chivalry Thesis is.

Answer 30

Both the police and the judicial system are MALE-DOMINATED; at every level of the system, men feel like they should care for and protect women and ‘let them off’ crimes, especially mothers, as they would not want to separate the mother from the child!

As a result of this:

• The police are less likely to record female crimes
• The judiciary is less likely to hand down custodial sentences to women
• Men are socialised into ‘protecting’ women

Assumptions about women’s criminality include women being ‘harmless’ and perceiving them to be ‘good’ and that they need protecting! Also, sometimes the crimes that women commit, such as petty thefts, are not the true crimes that society is worried about, like murder, which means they are less likely to be caught and also prosecuted!

Question 31

(POLLAK) Give an example of the Chivalry Thesis in practice. HINT: WOODWORD!

Answer 31

Oxford medical student of Lavinia Woodword was spared jail due to a promising medical career → She stabbed her boyfriend in the leg and she had history of drug and alcohol abuse; the judge praised her determination to overcome addiction and her promising career!

Question 32

(POLLAK) What is the evidence FOR the Chivalry Thesis?

Answer 32

Self-report studies suggest little difference between male and female criminality; this brings into question why percentages and statistics for women who commit crime are so low!

HOWEVER = It is not that women commit less crimes, it is that the crimes are just not reported (by the men in the system), due to their paternalistic attitudes!

• Men are more likely to receive custodial sentences and be seen as ‘career criminals’
• Women are more likely to be perceived as having an ‘error of judgement’

Question 33

(POLLAK) Give some statistics that support the Chivalry Thesis.

Answer 33

9% of WOMEN have a criminal record; 32% of MEN have a criminal record!

STATISTICS (2015):

Women make up:

• 15% = ARRESTS
• 25% = PROSECUTIONS
• 5% = PRISON POPULATION

Question 34

(POLLAK) What is some of the evidence AGAINST the Chivalry Thesis? HINT: There are 2 sociologist examples here!

Answer 34

HEIDENSOHN - ‘Double deviance’ = When women commit crimes, they are faced with two levels of judgement: Judgement from society for breaking the law, and judgement in regards to failing at ‘being a woman’!

Not only have they failed in terms of breaking the law, they have failed as being a women, as they have failed to reach the standards of femininity that is expected of them –> Lucy Letby; of course she committed a crime and was a bad person, but she was demonised even more by the media as having ‘failed’ at being a woman!

WALKLATE (1998) - Rape cases (looking at women who are on trial as victims of rape) = Many women said they have to prove that they did not consent! Women have reported the fact that they are on trial, and they feel like they are guilty, as they have to prove that they did not consent! A lot of victim shaming happens, especially regarding how ‘women were dressed’ during their assault!

Question 35

Which Sociologist studied Class and Gender ‘Deals’?

Answer 35

CARLEN!

Question 36

(CARLEN) What is a Deal?

Answer 36

A deal is where you do something and get something in return → The reward must be greater to prevent the risk of losing everything or coming out with worse stuff than what they had before.

Carlen said that women who commit crimes reject the socially approved pathways that are set up for women in society (AKA, the ‘Class’ and ‘Gender’ Deals).

Question 37

(CARLEN) Describe what the ‘Class Deal’ is.

Answer 37

Women work hard in exchange for pay and money, which they can use to pay for consumer goods and have a comfortable lifestyle, such as with a house and a car!

Question 38

(CARLEN) Explain the ‘Class Deal’ for women in prisons.

Answer 38

Women in prison often come from poorer backgrounds (working-class) = These women then leave prison with no employment and are (therefore) no worse off than they were before going into prison –> Those who commit crime from poor backgrounds do it because the risk is worth it; plus, they believe that, if they get caught, at least they have a roof over their heads!

This means that working-class women are more likely to commit crime than middle-class women!

Question 39

(CARLEN) Explain what the ‘Gender Deal’ is.

Answer 39

The ‘Gender Deal’ involves aspects of femininity / how women should act and behave. For example, they should complete domestic labour and give love and companionship to their husbands, in exchange for love and financial support from their husbands!

Question 40

(CARLEN) TRUE OR FALSE: Carlen says that women who DEVIATE from gender norms and stereotypes are rewarded with a happy family, are emotionally supported and enjoy the benefits of a stable home.

Answer 40

FALSE - Carlen says that women who COMPLY from gender norms and stereotypes are rewarded with a happy family, are emotionally supported and enjoy the benefits of a stable home.

Question 41

(CARLEN) What does Carlen suggest about these ‘Deals’, in terms of how they exploit people?

Answer 41

He suggests both these deals are exploitative and that not everyone has equal access to the deals. Not having access, rejecting the deals or having the deal ‘blocked’ leads to criminality!