Gender, crime & justice

Question 1

What are the gender patterns in crime?

Answer 1

• OS suggest that men commit significantly more crimes than women
• males are more likely to commit violent, serious & repeat offences while women are more commonly convicted for property offences like shoplifting

Question 2

What is an argument to support that women actually commit more crime?

Answer 2

• Pollack > The chivalry thesis > this argues that the criminal justice system is more lenient towards women because men in authority (police officers, judges) are socialised to protect them ‘damsel in distress’
• Means women are less likely to be arrested, convicted & if they’re convicted they receive lighter sentences
• self report studies suggest women may commit more crime than OS suggest supporting the chivalry thesis

Question 3

What evidence is there against the chivalry thesis?

Answer 3

• Farrington & Morris found no significant gender bias in sentencing > women appear to be treated leniently not due to chivalry but because they commit less serious crimes
• the under reporting of male crime especially domestic violence challenge the idea of a lenient system for women