crime + deviance: female crime Flashcards
what is Pollocks theory called?
chivalry thesis
what is the chivalry thesis?
argues men have a protective attitude towards women so they are reluctant to accuse them, prosecute them and punish them
what is supporting evidence for the chivalry thesis?
- self report studies show less gender differences than conviction rates suggest
- official stats show women = more likely to be released on bail + let off with a fine
how do Farrington + Morris criticise the chivalry thesis?
found when comparing similar offences, women weren’t sentenced more leniently than men
how do Buckle + Farrington criticise the chivalry thesis?
in their study of shoplifters, they observed 2x as many men than women shoplifting yet according to official stats, numbers are fairly equal
how does Yearnshire criticise chivalry thesis?
found that women typically suffer 35x assaults before reporting it
so many male crimes don’t get reported
how does Parson’s functionalist sex role theory explain why women commit less crime?
boys + girls = socialised differently
boys encouraged to be tough + aggressive
different gender roles: male = breadwinner, female = expressive so more caring
why does Cohen argue the socialisation of boys is more difficult?
due to lack of access to male role models
what do the New Right argue as the cause of more male crime?
the increase in matrifocal parent families leads boys to turn to street gangs for identity and status
how does Walklake criticise the functionalist sex role theory?
argues it makes biological assumptions that because women bear children, they’re most suited to an ‘expressive’ role
why is the functionalist sex role theory outdated?
in modern society = women have greater levels of equality and more women are the main breadwinner
what is Heidensohn’s Control theory?
that women commit less crime due to men’s patriarchal control over women in home, work and public places
how do men control women at home preventing them from committing crimes?
women do chores, can’t leave home, women that refuse might suffer violence
daughters given less freedom, have to be home sooner, socialise with friends at home rather than in public
what did Dobash + Dobash find was a trigger for DV?
domestic dissatisfaction
how do men control women in public?
women controlled due to fear of male violence against them
how many women compared to men avoid going out after dark?
54% women compared to 14% men
how do men control women in work?
-sexual harassment = widespread + keep women in their place
-women more likely to be in subordinate due to glass ceiling
-lack of status means women = less likely to commit white collar crimes
what is a criticism of the Control Theory?
overstates the role of the patriarchy as there are cases where women control men with DV
what are the 2 deals that Carlen argues lead women to conform?
class and gender deals
what is the class deal?
women who work will be offered material rewards with decent standards of living + leisure opportunities
what is the gender deal?
the patriarchal ideology promises women material + emotional rewards from family life by conforming to norms of conventional domestic gender roles
what happens if the rewards aren’t available?
crime becomes more likely
what are criticisms of Carlen’s class and gender deals theory?
the sample was very small so not representative and the women interviewed were all working class
also deterministic, not every people in poverty commits crime
what is Adler’s liberation thesis?
as women become liberated from patriarchy, their crimes will become more frequent and as serious as mens
