Why do men commit crime?

Question 1

Hegemonic masculinity

Answer 1

Messerschmidt uses the concept of masculinity to explain men’s higher rate of offending. He argues it is a social construct or ‘accomplishment’ that men have to constantly work at constructing and presenting to others. He sees crime and deviance as resources that different men may use for accomplishing masculinity.

Question 2

Hegemonic masculinity is achieved through:

Answer 2

• work in the paid labour market
• the subordination of women
• heterosexism (i.e. difference from and desire for women) and the driven and uncontrollable sexuality of men.

Question 3

Hegemonic masculinity - AO3

Answer 3

• Is masculinity an explanation of male crime, or just a description of male offenders? (E.g. tough, controlling, etc.) Messerschmidt is in danger of a circular argument, that masculinity explains male crimes e.g. violence because they are crimes committed by males (who have violent characteristics).
• Doesn’t explain why not all men use crime to accomplish masculinity and doesn’t explain all male crimes (joy riding, embezzlement).

Question 4

Postmodernity, Masculinity and Crime

Answer 4

Winlow - Globalization has led to a de-industrialized society where there has been a loss of traditional manual jobs, performed by WC males. These jobs allowed them to express their masculinity through physical labour. Now there are new jobs in the night-time leisure economy which has a mixture of legal employment and criminal opportunities (eg. bouncers at clubs).

Question 5

Winlow study (2001)

Answer 5

Bouncers in Sunderland (North East of England) - this area had suffered from de-industrialization and unemployment and working as bouncers in pubs and clubs gave young men both paid work and the opportunity for illegal business adventures and they could demonstrate their masculinity through the use of violence (conflict subculture).

Question 6

Postmodernity, Masculinity and Crime - AO3

Answer 6

• Winlow’s study is important because it shows how the expression of masculinity changes with the move from a modern industrial society to a postmodern, de-industrialized one.
• Useful explanation as to how change opens criminal opportunities for men who are able to use violence to express masculinity, by creating the conditions for the growth of an unorganised criminal subculture.

Question 7

Bodily Capital

Answer 7

Winlow - expands on postmodernity, masculinity and crime in explaining how those type of men’s reputation and employability depends on their bodily capital since it allows them to be able to use violence and win fights but also maintain the sign value of their bodies which discourages competitors. For example, many of the bouncers seek to develop their physical assets by bodybuilding.

Question 8

Bodily Capital - AO3

Answer 8

Support - this explanation connects to Cloward and Ohlin, showing the development of a conflict subculture into a professional subculture.