Topic 5 - Gender and Crime Flashcards
What are the gender patterns in crime? [3]
Official statistics show:
- 4/5 convicted offenders in England and Wales are male
- Males are more likely to be repeat offenders and to commit more serious crimes
- A higher proportion of female than male offenders are convicted of property offences
Do women really commit more crime - official statistics? [2]
- Typically ‘female’ crimes are less likely to be reported, e.g. shoplifting is harder to notice than violent crimes
- Even when women’s crimes are detected, they are less likely to be prosecuted
Why do women commit less crime than men? - Patriarchal Control Theory
Heidensohn argues patriarchal society imposes greater control over women and reduces their opportunities to offend, e.g.
Control at home - domestic role imposes severe restrictions on movement, limits opportunities for crime
Why do women commit less crime than men? - FUNCTIONALIST SEX ROLE THEORY
Parsons argues that due to their biology and the way they are socialised, women are nurturing by nature, and therefore are incapable of/ do not want to commit crime. Women are too preoccupied being a mother.
What happens when women commit crime? - Chivalry Thesis [2]
- Pollak argues men have a protective attitude towards women and thus are more lenient, so their crimes are less likely to end up in official statistics.
- For instance, women are more likely to be ‘let off’ for crimes such as speeding.
What happens when women commit crime? - Liberation Thesis [1]
- Adler believes that women are now becoming much more equal in society with men, therefore they now commit more crime.
e. g. rise of ‘ladette’ culture
What happens when women commit crime? - Class and Gender deals [2]
Carlen suggests that women have two deals, the class deal, and the gender deal.
- The class deal is that if they work hard they will be financially rewarded in life.
- The gender deal is that if they are a good mother and wife they will be treated well.
Carlen believes that when both deals break down, women turn to crime.
Why do men commit more crime than women? - Masculinity [3]
Messerschmidt argues masculinity is an ‘accomplishment’ and men have to constantly work at constructing and presenting it to others.
Hegemonic masculinity is the dominant prestigious form of masculinity - Messerschmidt sees crime and deviance as resources to obtain masculinity:
e.g. White m/c youths have ‘accommodating masculinity’ outside of school by drinking, pranks and vandalism
Why do men commit more crime than women? - Globalisation [2]
- Winlow argues that globalisation -> decline manual jobs which working-class males could express masculinity through.
- However, there has been an increase in the night-time leisure economy e.g. bouncers in nightclubs which has provided a combination of legal employment and criminal opportunities to express masculinity.