Explaining the relationship between gender and crime, including Feminist

Question 1

Are women getting away with offending? - Pollak

Answer 1

• the idea that males commit significantly more crime that females is a myth, caused by there differences in the types of crimes committed and the difference in the perception and treatment of male and female offenders.

Question 2

The Chivalry thesis

Answer 2

• is a argument that the male dominated criminal justice susyem has a paternalistic and indulgent attitude towards women seeing them as vulnerable and not fully responsible for their actions.
  —-> leads to male police officers to let females off with warnings or cautions, or charge them with lesser offences, and may lead male judges and magistrates to sentence females more leniently.

Question 3

Evidence supporting the Chivalry Thesis

Answer 3

Speed and Burrows 2006
- found in their report review of sentencing for shoplifting cases in 2004/5 that male offenders were TWICE as likely to receive a custodial sentence as female offenders (30vs15)

Question 4

Against Chivalry view

Answer 4

• However, chivalry can be challenged as too simplistic. Klein argues that the concept of chivalry is racist and classist, founded in the notion of women as ladies and that this only applicable to middle class white women, are the least likely to come in contact with the criminal justice system.
• Heidensohn (1986) suggests that female offenders who conform to the expectation of feminine behaviour, by crying or showing maternal love, may be treated more ‘leniently’ than males, but those who do not are treated more severely.
• Carlen (1983) points out that a female’s role as a mother is also taken into account much more than a male’s role as a father in sentencing- which can lead to the appearance of leniency, since many female offenders have children.

Question 5

Biological explanations for gender differences in criminality

Answer 5

• Lombroso argued that biological anomalies were a more significant indicator, seeing the habitual criminal as halfway between the lunatic and the savage. He claimed that most women are genetically less inclined towards criminality, showing a natural passivity and not possessing enough intelligence or initiative to break the law.

Question 6

Functionalists explanation

Answer 6

• argue that recent changes in female criminality rates are due to the increase of women’s opportunity. Females now have fewer restrictions on their behaviour and different role expectations. For example, Adler pointed out there has been an increase in female crime due to ‘liberation’ as when females achieve equality, they are led into more laddish behaviour. Furthermore, as women leave the domestic sphere, they have a better opportunity to commit crimes such as fraud.
• Jackson found that has been an acceptance of laddish behaviour from girls, and Denscombe found that women were adopting traditional male values, such as being in control and risk-taking behaviour. This suggests that female crimality rates are rising as a result of female liberation and in increase in opportunities.

Question 7

Critic Functionalists explanation

Answer 7

suggest that the notion of females committing crimes in the workplace, driven by poverty and oppression rather than liberation. For example, common female crimes such as prostitution and shoplifting is due to a straining economic situation causing hardships in everyday life, making it difficult especially for single mothers to provide. Chesney-lind found evidence of females branching into traditionally male offences, however this wasn’t due to liberation, but was linked to social issues, including their economic and social situations. Due to this, they were introduced into drugs by male family members. This suggests that liberation and women’s opportunities in the workplace had little affect female criminality rates, and instead It was due to economic and social situations.

Question 8

Feminists

Answer 8

Feminists believe that the reason why women’s rates for criminality might increase is due to society having a control over women and girls in a patriarchal society which may prevent them from having opportunities which may lead to criminality. Feminists see this as a form of patriarchy, rather than as a desirable reinforcement of ‘natural’ roles. This shows that due to society having control over what women do and try to reinforce them into stricter socialisation and they try to control girls within the family, this control can cause women to feel like they want to escape that controlling lifestyle and do their own thing and therefore may turn to crime in order to feel good about themselves, like they are accomplishing something, for example, a sudden burst of adrenaline might be felt by someone after they rob something from a shop, encouraging them to do it again in order to feel that adrenaline rush.

Question 9

Critic Feminists

Answer 9

However, some sociologists might argue that it’s not the controlling lifestyle in the patriarchal society that is causing women to turn to crime, it’s the way women may have been brought up, for example, being brought up outside the familial ideology which reinforces the gender deal, e.g., being brought up in a care home.

• Carlen (1987), talks about how women who haven’t had those norms and values while growing up or were brought up in the care system are more likely to be criminals as they may not be marginalised in terms of education and employment, and therefore cannot feel the class deal, as women may feel like they have little left to lose. This shows that women’s rates for criminality may increase due to the norms and values being inputted in their life and if they choose to act upon those norms and values, however some are not brought up with those norms and values and therefore go down the wrong path of criminality as they feel they don’t have much left to lose.

Question 10

Masculinity: Why do males commit more crimes?

Answer 10

• The pressure on males to be the breadwinner, provider/protector may be a trigger for criminality.
  —–> Messerschmidt looks at “hegemonic masculinity” and the pressures on males to accomplish. Hegemonic masculinity emphasises competitive individualism, aggression and violence in relation to authority and control.
  —-> Mosher characterises hegemonic masculinity as “hypermasculinity”refers to its dangerousness and acceptance of violence. A poor jobless youth may display his masculinity and thus enhance his status, through sexist banter, wearing gang style clothing , or by carrying a gun.