Gender, Crime and Justice

Question 1

Gender patterns

Answer 1

• 4/5 convicted offenders are male.
• by age of 40, 9% females have a criminal record compared to 32% of males.
• violence done more by males.
• women do property offences
• women crimes are less likely to be reported

Question 2

Pollak - chivalry thesis

Answer 2

Judges and police etc who are male are socialised to act chivalrous towards women, don’t want to punish them, police less likely to arrest etc.

Question 3

Box

Answer 3

women who commit serious offences are not treated more favourably then men.

Question 4

Heidensohn

Answer 4

Courts treat females more harshly then males. Courts punish girls but not boys for premature sex.

Question 5

Walklate

Answer 5

in rape cases it is the victim on trial not the defendant, she has to prove her respectability to have her evidence accepted.

Question 6

parsons

Answer 6

men are breadwinners so aren’t at home, boys lack role model and reject girl qualities like tenderness and care- they act aggressive to show masculinity this can spill over into deviance and therefore cause crime.

Question 7

Heidensohn

Answer 7

patriarchy means women can’t commit more crimes:
In the home- their work at home restrict their opportunities. Daughters are also less likely to come and go as they please so they have less chance to commit crime.
Public- fear of sexual violence if they stay out late reduces opportunity, also fear of being seen as un-respectable, this gives them a reputation which they don’t want.
Control at work- women have low position so little chance to commit company crimes, sexual harassment and male bosses keeps them in their place.

Question 8

Carlen- two types of rewards for w/c women

Answer 8

1.Class deal- women who work get material rewards, decent standard of living and leisure opportunities.
2.Gender deal- patriarchal ideology promises women material and emotional rewards from family life by conforming to the norms of a conventional domestic gender role.
If the women can’t get these rewards or see more disadvantages then they will most likely go to crime.

Question 9

Adler- liberation thesis

Answer 9

less patriarchy more female crimes, ass society has become equal women crime has increased. They now commit male offences like violence.

Question 10

Steffensmeier and Schwartz

Answer 10

There has been no change in women involvement in crime, rather arrests have gone up as police have widened the net, arresting women for less serious form of violence then before.

Question 11

Messerschmidt - boys and deviance

Answer 11

White m/c youths- subordinate to teachers to get m/c status in school, outside school drink, smoke and vandalism to gain masculinity.
White w/c - no chance in education so oppositional maculinity - sexist, be tough and oppose teacher authority. eg wills - lads
Black lower w/c- gang membership and violence to express masculinity, no hope fro jobs, serious crime to get material goods.

Question 12

Winlow - Sunderland

Answer 12

lack of jobs, boys become bouncers- get paid, can use violence and can venture into illegal activities eg selling drugs.