Masculinity and criminology Flashcards
The definition of masculinity
It is defined as the possession of qualities that are traditionally associated with men.
The term relates to the perceived notions and ideals about how men should act and look.
Traditional masculine traits
Mentally and physically strong Rational Self control Objective Unemotional
Metro-sexual traits
Young Urban Well dressed Body conscious Straight
Masculinity and crime
crime is predominantly committed by men.
78,795 men in prison compared to 3,804 women.
Men are more likely to be the victims of violent crime with 1 in 5 young men experience violent crime.
Men are also 3 times more likely to be attacked than a women by a stranger.
Edwin Sutherland 1942
States that being male is associated with criminal behaviour.
A casual analysis of maleness is problematic
He concluded that boys socialisation privileged the values of toughness, strength and aggression which gave boys greater freedom than girls.
Talcott Parsons
Family unit helps integrate the overall social system.
Instrumental - goal attainment which focuses on family and wider society.
The family unit prepares children for participation in society by teaching them the appropriate sex roles.
Albert Cohen’s delinquent boys
Gang activity is explicitly masculine in that it emphasises achievement, exploitation and aggression.
Zimbardo 2015 and the role of technology
man is disconnected and looks to technology which has sabotaged what is means to be a male. Young men are devoid of economic purpose, emotional intelligence and have a lack of commitment.
This is linked with the increase in porn and gaming. Boys reject the real world and retreat into an online safe space.
Sceptical analysis
This calls into question the assumptions behind the crisis of masculinity.
Men still command authority in most aspects of life.
