Gender And Crime - Why Do Men Commit Crime?

Question 1

Messerschmidt

Answer 1

Masculinity = a social construct or “accomplishment” - men have to constantly work at constructing and presenting it to others
In doing so, some men have more resources than others to draw upon. Difference masculinities co-exist within society but hegemonic masculinity is dominant
Crime is a resource that different men may use for accomplishing masculinity

Question 2

Criticisms of Winslow

Answer 2

• doesn’t explain why not all men use crime to accomplish masculinity
• over works the concept of masculinity to explain virtually all male crimes, from joy riding to embezzlement

Question 3

Winlow - post modernity, masculinity and crime

Answer 3

Globalisation - shift from a modern industrial society to a late modern or postmodern de-industrialised society
This has led to the loss of many of the traditional manual jobs through which W/c men were able to express their masculinity by hard physical labour and by providing for their families
Bouncers in Sunderland - paid work and opportunity for crime