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
What have self-report studies revealed about the chivalry thesis?
- provided evidence showing females are treated more leniently
Graham and Bowling looked at over 1700 14-25-year-olds, what did they find?
- that men were more likely to offend but the gender difference was smaller than OS - 2.3x more likely than 4x
Evidence FOR the chivalry thesis: what do OS reveal about females and bail?
- females are more likely to be released on bail instead of remanded in custody
Evidence FOR the chivalry thesis: what are some reasons that OS reveal females are more likely than males to receive a fine/ community sentence and less likely to go to prison?
- they tend to commit petty crimes
- they’re better at showing remorse
- they’re less likely to have a criminal conviction
Evidence FOR the chivalry thesis: how do OS for prison sentences and shoplifting for different genders compare?
- 1 in 9 female offenders get a prison sentence
- 1 in 5 male offenders get a prison sentence for shoplifting
Evidence AGAINST the chivalry thesis: when sociologists looked at the sentencing of 400+ offenders of theft cases in a magistrates court, what did they find?
- women weren’t sentenced more leniently
Evidence AGAINST the chivalry thesis: what did US and UK self-report studies reveal?
- women who commit serious offences are not treated more leniently
Evidence AGAINST the chivalry thesis: what did Farrington and Buckle do and what did it reveal?
- observational study of shoplifting
- saw twice as many male shoplifters as female despite offending rates in OS being roughly equal
- believe women are more likely to be prosecuted
Evidence AGAINST the chivalry thesis: what do self-report studies reveal about male crime?
- males do genuinely commit more crime
- young men are more likely to binge drink, take drugs, engage in disorderly conduct
