Gender and Crime (1) Flashcards
Offer a brief suggestion as to why female crime might be on the rise
- result of women becoming more independent and able to create identities for themselves
Why might women be less likely to be convicted of violent or sexual crimes?
- as a society we think they’re motherly
- they’re not getting caught
What is the ratio of male to female crime?
- 4:1
Why has male-dominated criminology neglected female crime?
- women were seen as less likely to commit crime
- seen as less likely to be in need of controlling
- want to focus on larger, more interesting crimes and women tend to commit petty crimes
How have sociologists linked male criminality and masculinity?
- males are thought to achieve and express their masculinity through crime
- they feel they need to make money to provide
- masculinity can be proved via what crime promises eg. toughness
Why might official statistics show that a higher proportion of female than male offenders are convicted of property offences, except for burglary?
- women aren’t as physically strong which doesn’t make a very good burglar
- women may not be able to leave children
Which gender has the higher proportion convicted of violence or sexual offences?
- male
Why are males more likely to be repeat offenders, career criminals for a longer time, and commit more serious offences?
- may be hooked on drugs/ drink
- might be homeless and looking for a bed etc
- they may fall into harder or more serious crimes
Give a brief outline of the two arguments that some sociologists use to argue that statistics underestimate the amount of female crime
1) typically ‘female’ crimes are less likely to be reported
2) even when women’s crimes are detected or reported they are less likely to be prosecuted/ will receive a lighter sentence
Give two examples of ‘female’ crimes that are less likely to be reported
- shoplifting is less likely to be noticed/ reported than violent crimes/ sexual crime which are mostly committed by men
- prostitution unlikely to be reported by client or offender because they’re considered victimless
How would women be able to get away more easily without a prosecution?
- their crimes are less serious
- women are more likely to be remorseful
- women can ‘turn on the water-works’
- courts try to keep families together
Give a summary of the chivalry thesis argument
- most judges, magistrates, police etc are men and men are socialised to act in a ‘chivalrous’ way towards women
What does Pollak argue as part of the chivalry thesis?
- that men were protective towards women and hate to accuse them
- police don’t like arresting/ prosecuting them
- judges don’t like to punish them
Why might judges not want to punish a woman?
- might end her career
- might break up a family
Give an example of crime that may be under-reported that then gives an invalid picture of their offending and exaggerates the extent of gender difference in offending
- domestic abuse of men