Men And Crime Flashcards
Who is more likely to commit crimes, men or women?
Men are much more likely to commit crimes than women.
What percentage of murderers are men?
Men account for 90% of murderers.
What does sex role theory suggest about masculinity and femininity in relation to crime?
Normal masculinity is more open to criminality than normal femininity.
According to sex role theory, what traits are associated with socialization towards criminality?
Traits include being tough, dominant, and independent.
What are Walter and Miller’s focal concerns?
Values that lead working class boys more likely to engage in delinquent or deviant behavior.
Name three of Miller’s focal concerns.
- Toughness
- Smartness
- Trouble
What are evaluation points of Miller’s focal concerns?
- doesnt consider gender, focal concerns may be masucline rather than lowerclass
What does the concept of marginalization suggest about women’s crime rates?
Women’s marginal position in patriarchal society means they commit fewer crimes than men - fewer opportunities
men commit occupational crime and have the ability to form a criminal subculture
According to Heidensohn, how are girls controlled in society?
Girls are controlled by fathers and relatives until marriage, then by husbands.
May be outdated
Boys spend more time away from older authoritative figure = high level of criminality
What is normative masculinity?
The socially approved ideal of what a ‘real man’ is.
What does Messerschmitt argue about male crime?
High levels of male crime are due to men trying to prove they are ‘real men.’
- can explain some white collar crime - about status and competition
- explain DV and working class street violence: means used to act out masuclinity when lacking power
What is the radical feminist perspective on crime and men?
Men commit more crime to prove control over women.
Heidonsohn: DV and harassment ways to express control
> perpetuated by ‘male gaze’ and ‘objectification of women in media’
How else do men exercise control?
Sexual violence used to control men and exercise power
‘Situational homosexuality’ in prisons
What does strain theory suggest about men’s criminal behavior?
Men may commit crimes to achieve financial success and prove masculinity.
According to Merton’s strain theory, why do some men turn to crime?
They cannot achieve success through legitimate means.
might lack opportunity for utilitarian crime
Winlow found within working class in newcastle: use crime to prove status and toughness
What is the interactionist view on crime causation?
Crime emerges due to labelling by authorities rather than social background.
crime product of micro lebel interactions between certain individuals and police
What happens when an individual is publicly labeled as deviant?
They may be rejected from social groups, encouraging further deviance.
What leads to the emergence of a deviant career?
Joining an organized deviant group after accepting a deviant identity.
