Gender, Crime and Justice

Question 1

Who discusses each theory on gender and crime?

Answer 1

1) . Pollak (1950) = Chivalry thesis.
2) . Parsons (1955) = functionalist sex role theory.
3) . Heidensohn (1985) = patriarchal control.
4) . Carlen (1969) = class and gender deals.
5) . Alder (1975) = liberation thesis.

Question 2

What does Pollak outline?

Answer 2

Male social control agents are chivalrous over women, preventing convictions for crime.

Question 3

What does Parsons outline?

Answer 3

Women perform expressive role =

• boys reject feminine ideas and ‘compensate compulsory masculinity’ with aggression and risk-taking.

Question 4

What did Heidensohn outline?

Answer 4

Men having control over women reduces their opportunities to offend.

Question 5

What did Carlen outline?

Answer 5

Women don’t commit crime as they receive ‘deals’ to conform to societies accepted norms and values.

Question 6

What did Alder outline?

Answer 6

Women’s offending is rising as they become liberated from patriarchy, their crime will soon be level with male crimes.

Question 7

What did Steffensmeier and Schwartz (2009) find about the rise in female violent crimes?

Answer 7

Official statistics didn’t match the findings of victim surveys or self-report studies.

Question 8

What did Messerschmidt (1993) find about male crime?

Answer 8

1). Hegemonic masculinity =

dominant, most desired form of masculinity.

2). Subordinated masculinity =

lack resources to achieve hegemonic masculinity, so commit crime to gain masculinity.