Gender and Crime

Question 1

Explain some differences in male and female offences.

Answer 1

• Anti-social behaviour is shown more by men than women
• More men are convicted, arrested, and sentenced
• Men are less likely to report female aggression
• Evolution has led men to be more aggressive and so may account for increased crime rate

Question 2

Describe brain injury in relation to gender differences in crime.

Answer 2

• NHS reports show that men and children are more likely to suffer from a brain injury
• This could be due to men being more likely to take risks and enter manual jobs and boys being more likely to engage in rough play

Question 3

Give a rejecting piece of research for brain injury as an explanation of crime.

Answer 3

In South Africa male to female ratio with TBI down to impersonal violence is 4:1. This suggests that behavioural differences causes TBI instead of TBI causing aggression.

Question 4

Describe the amygdala in relation to gender differences in crime.

Answer 4

There are no gender differences.

Question 5

Give a rejecting piece of research for the amygdala as an explanation of crime.

Answer 5

Shirtcliff et al (2009) found gender differences in empathy in that girls are more empathetic with boys having more conduct disorders and so these emotional differences may be a result of the amygdala instead, therefore suggesting that damage to the amygdala does not cause criminal behaviour.

Question 6

Describe XYY syndrome in relation to gender differences in crime.

Answer 6

Only men can get this due to having XY as their 23rd chromosome whereas females have XX and so cannot gain two extra Y chromosomes.

Question 7

Give a supporting piece of research for XYY syndrome as an explanation of crime.

Answer 7

Jacobs et al (2012) found an over-representation of the syndrome in a prison population as the norm is 1/1000 whereas in prison it was 15/1000, therefore showing that XYY can lead to criminality.

Question 8

Describe Eysenck’s personality theory in relation to gender differences in crime.

Answer 8

Due to psychoticism relating to higher levels of testosterone, men are more likely to score higher for P and so this would account for why men have higher crime rates. However women also have testosterone which would account for why they also commit crime.

Question 9

Give a supporting piece of research for Eysenck’s personality theory as an explanation of crime.

Answer 9

Rushton et al (1981) found a relationship between delinquency and high extroversion and psychoticism and so would support why men commit more crimes.

Question 10

Describe labelling and self-fulfilling prophecy in relation to gender differences in crime.

Answer 10

Due to different socialisation, boys are more likely to be labelled as boisterous troublemakers and girls as passive which would cause the SFP to lead to crime.

Question 11

Give a rejecting piece of research for labelling and self-fulfilling prophecy as an explanation of crime.

Answer 11

Fuller (1984) found that black girls in a London comprehensive school were labelled as likely to fail and they resented the label as so proved it wrong, therefore showing that being given a label doesn’t necessarily lead to what the label suggests about the person.

Question 12

Describe social learning theory in relation to gender differences in crime.

Answer 12

Same sex parents may be seen as a role model and due to men being generally more aggressive, sons will be more likely to reproduce this behaviour leading to men committing more crimes.

Question 13

Give a supporting piece of research for social learning theory as an explanation of crime.

Answer 13

Bandura found that same sex role models meant a higher chance of behaviours being reproduced and imitated. He also found that boys were more likely to imitate and reproduce physical aggression explaining why men commit violent crimes.

Question 14

Is brain injury a good explanation for gender differences in crime and why?

Answer 14

No, because cause and affect is hard to establish as the behaviour before the brain injury is assumed and we cannot be certain that brain injury causes criminal activity due to dispositional differences.

Question 15

Is the amygdala a good explanation for gender differences in crime and why?

Answer 15

No, because there have been no gender differences found in amygdala functioning.

Question 16

Is XYY syndrome a good explanation for gender differences in crime and why?

Answer 16

No, because it doesn’t account for why women commit crimes.

Question 17

Is Eysenck’s personality theory a good explanation for gender differences in crime and why?

Answer 17

Yes, because it looks at both biological and environmental factors and gives an explanation as to why men may commit more crimes than women, due to increased testosterone.

Question 18

Is labelling and labelling and SFP a good explanation for gender differences in crime and why?

Answer 18

Yes, because it argues that the difference in socialisation of the two genders causes different labels to arise such as boys being troublemakers and girls being passive and so the self-fulfilling prophecy would lead them to exhibit behaviours that prove the labels given to them, such as committing crimes.

Question 19

Is social learning theory a good explanation for gender differences in crime and why?

Answer 19

Yes, because it suggests that same sex role models are more likely to have a higher chance of their behaviours being reproduced and so due to men being more likely to commit crimes, boys may witness this or aggression and reproduce the behaviours.