GENDER AND CRIME Flashcards
What are the reasons for why women commit less crime than men?
- Unreported and unnoticed
- Gender biology and socialisation
- Constraints on women
- Chivalry thesis
Why do crimes by women go unnoticed or unreported?
Typically female crimes such as shoplifting are less likely to be notice and their sexual violent crimes are unlikely to be reported
How can you criticise the idea that female crimes go unreported and unnoticed?
Whilst it’s true shoplifting may go unreported as it is seen as less important, females also under report male sexual and abuse crimes
What is the functionalist sex role theory on why women commit less crime?
Socialisation and biological. Women are nurturing by nature and therefore are incapable of commiting crime
How can you criticise the functionalist sex role theory in explaining why women commit less crime?
Date and sexist. No evidence to suggest women are inferior to men.
What is Heidensohn constraints on women theory in explaining why women commit crime?
Says that in a patriarchal society, women are controlled in all three spheres, by being a mother/housewife (home), by being scared to go out after dark (public), and by male bosses and sexu harassment (work) which makes it harder for them to break the law
How can you criticise Heidensohns contraint on women theory?
Many women who commit crime do have a strong male figure in their life
What is the chivalry thesis, and how does it explain why women commit less crime?
The criminal justice system treat women more leniency and allows them to get away with petty crimes, e.g. speeding
How can the chivalry thesis in explaining why women commit less crime be critised?
Hard to prove. The criminal justice system would say they were professionals and do not treat genders differently
What are the three reasons for why women actually commit more crime?
- Liberation Thesis: Adler
- The Class and Gender Deal: Carlen
- Changing Attitudes
How do changing attitudes towards gender and crime mean that more women commit crime
The criminal justice system no longer treats women lengthy there more women are being arrested, charged and convicted
How can you criticise the idea that changing attitudes towards gender and crime means women are more likely to commit crime?
Famous female criminals, Rosdeep Kular convicted for killing her three year old, but only served 6 years, which seems more lenient to what a man would get
How does Carlen’s idea of the two deals explain why women commit more crime?
Women have two deals: the gender deal which is that they are a good mother and wife they’ll be rewarded with happiness. And the class deal, if they work hard they will be financially rewarded in life
Carlen says of these break down women turn to crime. Class deal creates robbery, shoplifting and white collar crime. Gender deal creates murder, domestic and drug abuse.
How can you criticise Carlen’s idea of the two deals explaining why women commit more crime?
Women who have both deals in place still commit crime
How does Adlers Liberation thesis theory explan why women commit more crime?
Women are now becoming independent and much more equal with men, therefore they now have the opportunity to commit crime, e.g, having jobs give opportunity for white collar crime
