Gender and Crime (3 - male crime)

Question 1

What limitation of ‘malestream’ theories of crime does Cain highlight?

Answer 1

• they have not asked why being male leads to offending

Question 2

What overall factor do postmodernists attribute to being a cause of crime?

Answer 2

• masculinity

Question 3

What does Messerschmidt argue about masculinity?

Answer 3

• it is a social construct or ‘accomplishment’ and men have to constantly work at constructing and presenting it
• this makes it clear that some men have more resources to present it than others

Question 4

Among the different forms of masculinity in society, what does Messerschmidt believe is the dominant and prestigious form that most men want to achieve?

Answer 4

• hegemonic masculinity

Question 5

Who have ‘subordinated masculinities’ and why?

Answer 5

• gay men - have no interest in hegemonic masculinity
• lower class men and some ethnic minority males - lack the resources to do so ie. as a result of prejudice and not being seen as tough they face discrimination

Question 6

For Messerschmidt, what differences amongst youths leads to different forms of rule breaking to demonstrate masculinity? Give an example

Answer 6

• class and ethnic differences

- rap talks about wanting cars and money

Question 7

What relationship do white middle-class youths have to masculinity?

Answer 7

• they subordinate themselves to teachers to achieve their mc status ie. they accept subordination to achieve future masculinity
• outside school, their masculinity takes an oppositional form through drinking, pranks, vandalism

Question 8

What relationship do white working-class youths have to masculinity?

Answer 8

• they have less chance of educational success so their masculinity is oppositional both in and out of school
• constructed around sexist values, being tough, opposing authority

Question 9

What relationship do black lower working-class youths have to masculinity?

Answer 9

• may have fewer experiences of reasonable jobs
• use gang membership/ violence to show masculinity
• turn to property crime to achieve success

Question 10

What does Messerschmidt acknowledge about middle class men and crime?

Answer 10

• they may use crime but there’s a difference in the type of crimes they commit ie. they commit white collar/ corporate crime

Question 11

How can Messerschmidt be at risk of a circular argument?

Answer 11

• masculinity explains male crime because they’re committed by males

Question 12

List some criticisms of Messerschmidt

Answer 12

• not all men turn out as violent criminals, there are a lot of masculine men who aren’t violent criminals
• doesn’t explain why all men use crime to achieve masculinity
• overexaggerated masculinity to explain all male crimes

Question 13

In the postmodernist view, how has globalisation/ deindustrialisation led to crime?

Answer 13

• loss of manual jobs where men could show masculinity and provide for families
• growth in service sector including night time leisure
• provided opportunities for legal employment, criminal opportunities and means of showing masculinity

Question 14

In Winlow’s study of bouncers, what kind of illegal ventures did they have opportunity for?

Answer 14

• drugs
• duty-free tobacco and alcohol
• protection rackets

Question 15

In the postmodernist view, an organised professional criminal subculture has emerged as a result of new criminal opportunities in the night time economy. How is masculinity displayed in this subculture?

Answer 15

• violence

- bodily capital (to maintain reputation and employability)

Question 16

How does bodily capital not just relate to being able to use violence/ win fights?

Answer 16

• also maintaining the sign value of their bodies

- ‘looking the part’

Question 17

How are signs of bodily capital supporting the postmodern idea that signs take on a reality of their own, independent from the thing they supposedly represent?

Answer 17

• the men may appear tough and powerful but in reality they are petty drug dealers