Gender & Crime

Question 1

What is the nature of male offending?

Answer 1

• Bulk of crime is committed by males

- Higher rates of violence, aggression, assault, burglary and sexual offences

Question 2

What is the nature of female offending?

Answer 2

• Woman are more heavily involved in property crime e.g. theft, shoplifting and higher rates in fraud, deception and forgery

Question 3

Why do females offend?

Answer 3

• To provide/support children or family

- Having no money, no job, family problems, association with the wrong crows, drug and alcohol use

Question 4

What can explain the rise in female offending?

Answer 4

• Changes in socialisation processes
• Rise in feminism
• Greater opportunities and participation in society
• Increased rate of mental illness
• Childhood abuse
• Higher prosecution rate

Question 5

What are some facts on female victimisation?

Answer 5

• A high proportion of woman experience violence by someone they know well
• Women are at higher risk of domestic violence and becoming a vicim of theft
• Women have a lower risk of becoming a victim of violent crime

Question 6

What are some facts on male victimisation?

Answer 6

• Males are victimised at a higher rate but less likely to report
• Masculinity affects reporting rates - a victim identity signifies weakness
• Greater risk of stranger violence
• Male victims not taken as seriously as female victims

Question 7

What are some female experiences with the criminal justice system?

Answer 7

• Woman make up very small minority of the prison population
• There is a higher cautioning rate for women (due to the increased likelihood that they will admit that offence - a prerequisite of receiving a caution)
• Prison sentences are usually shorter than males
• For indictable offences females are more likely to be discharged or given a community sentence

Question 8

What is the chivalry thesis?

Answer 8

The view that the criminal justice system tends to take a protective and patriarchal view of female offending

Question 9

What is provocation?

Answer 9

• When a person is considered to have committed a criminal activity partly because of a preceding set of events that might cause a reasonable person to lose self control
• Makes them less morally culpable

Question 10

What is self defence?

Answer 10

A counter measure that involves defending the well-being of oneself from harm, the person is right to act the way they did - not responsible

Question 11

What are the changes in self defence laws?

Answer 11

• Traditionally self defence was written in a way where it presumed equality between two individuals and the response had to be proportionate and immediate
• Today if there is a clear history of on-going abuse and psychological affects and a person can establish they were in fear of their life they can claim self defence
• Today it does not have to be proportionate or immediate