Gender (men) And Crime Flashcards
What does gender role socialisation suggest is the reason why men commit more crime?
Men’s traditional roles encourage independence, toughness, competitiveness, aggression, dominance and risk taking. The male peer group can reinforce these tendencies and pressures can lead to crime. The traditional role of being the main breadwinner gives men the independence away from the home so they have more opportunities to commit crime
What point can be used to evaluate gender role socialisation?
There is a decline in traditional roles and stereotypes e.g. the ‘new man’ is more in touch with his feelings and there is an increase in stay at home dads
What does Messerschmidt suggest is the reason why males commit more crime?
The assertion of normative masculinity. Men turn to crime and violence as a means of achieving normative masculinity (material, social and sexual success). Their ability to achieve this legitimately depends upon their access to power and resources. Those lacking legitimate access are those from deprived backgrounds which leads them to commit crime in order to achieve it. Middle class men try to assert masculinity through ruthlessness, ambition and thrill seeking in business which may lead to white collar/ corporate crime
What point can be used to evaluate Messerschmidt’s theory on normative masculinity?
Not all male crime can be explained as an assertion of masculinity
How does de industrialisation explain why males commit more crime?
De industrialisation has led to a crisis of masculinity. Those jobs provided opportunities for men to express their masculinity through hard physical labour and being the main breadwinner. Violence becomes an important way of gaining status in male hierarchies. Winlow studies bouncers and found it had become an increasingly attractive job for those seeking masculine status as it gave them a sense of toughness, access to criminal ways of making money (drug dealing) which enables them to buy materials associated with status and the ability to be violent as part of their job
What point can be used to evaluate Winlows idea?
Most men have adapted to industrialisation
What does Katz suggest is the reason why men commit more crime?
Many explanations of male criminality underestimate the importance of the pleasure and excitement that can be gained from criminal activity. Robbery is undertaken for the chaos, thrill and potential danger inherent in the act. Lyng suggests that males like to engage in edgework
What point can be used to evaluate Katz’s theory?
Denscombe argues that females are increasingly as likely as males to engage in risk taking behaviour
