Gender Flashcards
Statistics in gender offending rates
2013
men 95% convictions
men more likely to reoffend
age of 40, 9% of females convict, 32% men
2019
men 73% women 27%
Self report studies
-12% men admit to serious offences
-8% women suggest that not all recorded in conviction statistics
Chivarly Thesis
Pollack
-says that official statistics seriously underestimate female offending
-females are skilled at deceiving people.
-CJS is more lenient to women because most agent are men, they respond more protectively and softly
For chivalry thesis
-Home office statistics show women are charged less
-Haralambos and Holborn says women are more likely given cautions and pre court sanctions than go to prison
Against chivalry thesis
-Box stated that on self report studies women who commit serious crime do not get treated favourably
-Home office states that courts impose more severe sentences on women for less serious offences
Bias against women
-Less women commit crime so when they do it violates socially acceptable patterns, society has a big reaction.
-women are x2 more likely yo be denied bail when charged with drug offences
-Walklate stated on rape cases they are not treated seriously
Heidensohn
Double standards and double deviance
-Women treated badly when deviant from the norms of behaviour associated with femininity
-Breaking norms not just of a society but norms that suggest how its correct for women to behave
Hedderman
Difference mean bias
-women and men are affected differently when sentenced to prison and they have different circumstances e.g. childcare
Sex role theory
-Girls socialised differently to boys
-Parsons states that child rearing is carried out by mothers, Birks have a role model
-Cohen states boys lack role model and socialisation, go to gangs and subcultures
-Farrington and Painter- female offenders have had harsh and erratic parenting
Caddle and Crisp
Studied 100 women in prison
-reasons linked to sex role:support children and family problems
-not linked:no money, no job and drink and drugs
Liberationist perspective
-Adler stated that increase in female crime is due to increase in freedom from traditional forms
- Denscombe stated this has meant risky behaviour from women
- Westwood stated that identities are being reconstructed and reframed, women are more confident and forceful
Against liberationist perspective
Heidensohn
-stated that female offenders doing a psychological test scored high in femininity, therefore not taken male roles
Radical feminism and social control
Heidensohn
females less likely to commit crime due to informal sanctions to discourage women
- control at home
- control in public
- control at work
Evaluation to support radical feminism
Hagan- Child raising patterns in Canada suggest informal control on daughters greater
Toor- British asian girls there is a strong emphasis of honour and shame in their family
Against radical feminism
His work is dated and liberal feminist state that greater freedom means its difficult to explain why female rates remain so low
Socialist feminism
Carlen
-correlation with gender and social class
Study found that women aged 15 to 46 from w/c background enjoyed women freedom
-These women have little to lose and have excitement from crime due to experience in poverty
Evaluation of Carlen
-A small study but with lots of evidence
- 40% of women who have been out of prison for 5 years are out of work and 61% have no qualifications
- doesn’t talk about males
Carlen
class and gender deal
Class- sacrifice personal freedom to work hard for luxury and leisure/ no qualifications
Gender- turn to marriage for security and family life/ little experience of happy life, in care or abusive father
Male roles and Masculinity
Connell: multiple forms of masculinity that change over time.
Messerschmidt- normative masculinity is highly valued among most men, socially approved idea of a real man (desire for women)
Businessman vs lower status man
Negatives to masculinity
-men struggle to live up to expectations in which masculinity is not natural
-masculinity caries depending on power and resources
Evaluation of masculinity
Jefferson
-fails to explain why particular men commit more than others.
-If all men have the potential to gain power through crime then why do not all men commit it
