Topic 5 - Gender and Crime

Question 1

What are the gender patterns in crime? [3]

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Do women really commit more crime - official statistics? [2]

Answer 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

Question 3

Why do women commit less crime than men? - Patriarchal Control Theory

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Why do women commit less crime than men? - FUNCTIONALIST SEX ROLE THEORY

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

What happens when women commit crime? - Chivalry Thesis [2]

Answer 5

• 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.

Question 6

What happens when women commit crime? - Liberation Thesis [1]

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

What happens when women commit crime? - Class and Gender deals [2]

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

Why do men commit more crime than women? - Masculinity [3]

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Why do men commit more crime than women? - Globalisation [2]

Answer 9

• 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.