Gender and Crime

Question 1

What is the reason as to why women may be underrepresented in the crime statistics?

Answer 1

The Chivalry factor

Question 2

What is the Chivalry factor?

Answer 2

This is where male staff within the justice system treat women with more leniency, because it is a mans job to protect women from harm

Question 3

What are the 3 theories disputing the chivalry factor?

Answer 3

• not ALL women treated with chivalry
• men genuinely commit more crime
• crime committed by men, against women are underreported

Question 4

According to Heidensohn, how are women not all treated with chivalry? (evidence to challenge chivalry)

Answer 4

There are 3 reasons

• some women do not fulfil stereotype (transgender)
• young and sexually active (justifies sentence as it “saves them from themselves” - implies a double standard)
• crimes against children (held to a much higher standard)
• women of low income (looked down upon by law enforcement)

Question 5

According to Buckle and Farrington, what evidence is there to suggest that men genuinely commit more crime? (evidence against chivalry)

Answer 5

Studies have demonstrated that men really do commit more crime than women. Suggests chivalry factor doesn’t exist as there is a real difference in offending rates. For example, in research into shoplifting, men were twice more likely to shoplift than women yet the OCS suggest that conviction rates are similar. This actually suggest that men are getting away with their crime more than women

Question 6

According to sociologists, how are crimes committed against women by men evidence against the chivalry factor? (evidence against chivalry)

Answer 6

When it comes to victimisation, feminists raise concerns about how fairly it treats women who have been victims of gender related crime (domestic violence). Research suggests that the court does not take female victimisation seriously and in some cases blames women for their fault. On average, a women is assaulted 35 times before going to the police.
Women are also trialled more than men when it comes to sexual violence, commonplace for judges to blame women for acts of rape

Question 7

What are the 3 REAL reasons as to why men commit more crime than women?

Answer 7

• gender role socialisation into hyper-masculine values
• crisis of masculinity
• edgework theory

Question 8

According to Connell, how are men socialised into hyper masculine values (why men commit more crime than women)?

Answer 8

Males, from a young age, are raised and encouraged to develop manly values which could lead to criminal tendencies. This includes being physically tough, suppressing emotion and having authority over others. This is called “hegemonic masculinity” which means men believe they are the more powerful and dominant sex.

Question 9

According to Messerschmidt, how does the hyper-masculine identity lead to deviance? (why men commit more crime than women)

Answer 9

Notes that crime and deviance are resources that men use to express their dominance. Having access to money, having control over women and being uncontrollably sexualised leads to men having more dominance over women. For example, working class men may engage in street crime to assert their dominance.

Question 10

Evaluation of the view that the real reason men commit more crime is due to gender role socialisation into “hyper - masculine” values?

Answer 10

Over focusses on masculinity as a cause of crime

Question 11

According to Winlow, how does the crisis of masculinity make men commit more crime than women?

Answer 11

Interested in the issue of how social and economic change has impacted upon the perception of masculinity. Conducted a study in Sunderland to find out how the male culture has changed over time, in the modern era men worked in manual labour jobs but since these have declined during deindustralisation. This is led to a crisis of masculinity as men are no longer able to express themselves through their work

Question 12

According to Winlow, what jobs occurred following deindustralisation in Sunderland? (crisis of masculinity)

Answer 12

With the growth in service sector jobs came new jobs in the nighttime economy. Working class men found new jobs to express their masculinity such as being a bouncer. This opened a gateway for men to become criminal, through drug dealing and trafficking. 
Also pressured to pursue bodily capital whereby they body build to again, express their masculinity

Question 13

Evaluation of the view that a crisis of masculinity is the reason why men commit more crime than women?

Answer 13

Over focusses on masculinity as a cause of crime

Question 14

According to Katz and Lyng, how does the edgework theory seek to explain why men commit more crime than women?

Answer 14

Believe that other perspectives focus too much on masculinity and should instead believe that the main motivation for male crime is down to pleasure.

Question 15

According to Katz and Lyng, what are the reasons for edgework?

Answer 15

Joy riding = adrenaline rush
Drugs = high
Might be caught = adrenaline
Crime is therefore a rational action as it feeds a mans desire to achieve thrills and excitement

Question 16

Evaluation of the edgework theory that seeks to explain why men commit more crime than women?

Answer 16

Women can have thrills and excitements

Question 17

What are 2 reasons as to why women commit less crime than men?

Answer 17

• sex role theory

- patriarchal control theory

Question 18

According to Oakley and Parsons, how does sex roles ensure women commit less crime?

Answer 18

Point out that girls are socialised and taught to behave in a way that makes them less likely to commit crime. For example, girls are encouraged to pursue expressive roles (childcare etc) by contrast boys are more likely to reject emotion and pursue an instrumental role.

Question 19

According to Cohen, how does sex roles ensure women commit less crime than men?

Answer 19

Fathers are less likely to be involved in the socialisation of children compared to mothers, this means that whilst females have a positive female role model in the family, boys do not have the same representation from men. This means boys are more likely to join deviant subcultures to lack from love from father

Question 20

According to Murray, how do sex roles ensure that women commit less crime than men?

Answer 20

Boys who are raised from single mothers are also likely to deviate down a deviant path. Girls, by contrast have a stable female role model reducing their risk to turn to violence

Question 21

Evaluation of the view that sex roles ensure that women commit less crime than men?

Answer 21

Important to note that some women do commit crime and this theory does not help us understand this

Question 22

According to Heidenson, how does the patriarchal control theory mean women commit less crime than men?

Answer 22

Believe that women’s lives are subject to stronger controls because of men, meaning they do not have the opportunity to commit crime because they are socially prevented from the opportunity to do so.

Question 23

According to Heidenson, how are women subject to patriarchal control made to commit less crime because of their domestic status?

Answer 23

Domestically, women face a number of controls at home. Women mostly take full responsibility for housework and childcare, meaning if they were to commit crime they have lots to lose. Many women also lack the financial control as their husbands take control of money, meaning they cannot venture into the social world and cannot commit crime. Female children also subject to harsher control at home, bedroom culture meaning they have fewer opportunity to deviate on the street.

Question 24

According to Heidenson, how are women subject to patriarchal control made to commit less crime because of their public status?

Answer 24

Publicly, women’s behaviour is policed in a number of ways. Women are more fearful of violence than men. Women are more controlled through reputation and are held to a higher standard than men if they engage in ‘inappropriate’ behaviour. Lastly, women also subject to workplace controls which limits their capacity to commit corporate crime, also the glass ceiling with pay.

Question 25

Evaluation of the view that patriarchal control theory offers a reason as to why women commit less crime than men?

Answer 25

Patriarchal nature becoming less prevelent in society

Question 26

Evaluation of the view that patriarchal control theory offers a reason as to why women commit less crime than men?

Answer 26

Patriarchal nature becoming less prevelent in society

Question 27

What are the 3 reasons that seek to explain female criminality?

Answer 27

• control theory (class and gender)
• feminisation of poverty
• liberation thesis

Question 28

According to Carlen, how does control theory seek to explain women’s criminality?

Answer 28

Adapted Hirschi’s control theory to women. She interviewed 39 female convicts, 20 of which were in custody. She identified common themes across the women and the controls they lacked. In today’s society, women are encouraged to believe that they will be happy in they achieve particular ‘deals’

Question 29

According to Carlen, what are the two ‘deals’ which women are encouraged to achieve? (control theory)

Answer 29

• gender deal

- class deal

Question 30

According to Carlen, what is the class deal? (control theory)

Answer 30

Success financially in employment. In her study, 32 grew up in poverty, because of prison many couldn’t access employment and they humiliated by the fact they were to receive benefits

Question 31

According to Carlen, what is the gender deal?

Answer 31

In her study, 50% of women grew in care which had negatively impacted their perception of family life. Many ran away from the care sector becoming homeless, some were victims of domestic violence and sexual assault further damaging their perception of family
Carlen noted lack of positive experience and not achieving the ‘deals’, leading them to commit crime

Question 32

Evaluation of the view that control theory explains why women commit crime?

Answer 32

Over focusses on structural causes, instead denying individual choice women have

Question 33

According to Walkgate, how does feminisation of poverty explain women criminality?

Answer 33

Develops Carlens ideas. Women are more likely to find themselves in the lowest socioeconomic position. This makes them more likely to turn to crime to survive. There area number of reasons for this; glass ceiling, single parenthood, abuse at home. Older women are therefore more likely to commit benefit fraud in order to provide for themselves or their children.

Question 34

Evaluation of the feminisation of poverty being a reason as to why women commit crime?

Answer 34

Focuses too specifically on structural factors

Question 35

According to Adler, how does liberation thesis and the ladette culture explain female criminality?

Answer 35

Female criminality could be linked to change in female values and a decline in traditional views on femininity. Points out that women are catching up to men in society and becoming more equal. Women are taking on masculine traits and behaviours (ladette culture). Part of this includes women participating in criminal and deviant activity, as women feel liberated they no longer feel they have to act in a reserved way. Makes them partake in gang-violence e.c.t

Question 36

Evaluation of the view that liberation thesis and the ladette culture explains female criminality?

Answer 36

Exaggerates the way in which women have become liberated.