why do men commit more crime Flashcards
why do men commit more crime
Messerschmidt argues crime is a resource some subordinated men use to accomplish masculinity. Winlow argues that globalisation and de industrialisation mean that some men now achieve masculintity throguh participation in a combination of paid work and crime in night time economy
Masculinity and Crime
He argues masculinity is a social construct/accomplishment that men constantly work towards constructing and presenting to others.
* Different masculinities exist in society, but the most dominant prestigious form most men wish to claim is hegemonic masculinity is defined via- work in
paid labour market, subordinating women, heterosexism, and driven/uncontrollable sexuality of men.
* Some men have subordinated masculinities such as gay men ,
who have no desire to accomplish hegemonic masculinity as well as lower class and ethnic groups who lack resources.
diff ways men use crime to accomplish masculinity
See C And D as a resources that different men use for accomplishing masculinity for instance class and ethnic differences among youths lead to different forms of rule breaking to demonstrate masculinity
White MC youths- subordinate themselves to teachers to get middle-class status. They have this accommodating masculinity in school, and an oppositional one outside where they engage in drinking/pranks/vandalism.
* White WC youths- have less chance of education success, so have oppositional masculinity in and out of school.
* Black lower WC youths- have less expectations of a reasonable job due to racism, so use gangs/violence to express masculinity, or use property crime for material success.
what does Messerschmidt acknowledge
Messerschmidt acknowledges that MC men may use corporate/white-collar crime to accomplish hegemonic masculinity, while poorer groups use street crime for a subordinated masculinity.
Criticisms of Messerschmidt
Theory doesn’t explain why not all men
use crime to accomplish masculinity. Thereby this argument is limited because it over represents the amount of men who use crim to accomplish masculinity
Winlow: Postmodernity and Crime
Globalisation has caused a shift form a modern industrial society to a postmodern industrial soicety
THis has led to a loss in many traditional manual jobs tthrough which W/c men were able to express masculinity.
As Jobs declined there has been an expanison in service sectors such as night clubs—for some young working class men this has provided a combo of legal work and lucrative criminal opportunities to express masculinity.
A02 -Winlow —Bouncers:Sunderland—an area of de-industralisation and high unemploymen-provided young menw ith both paid work and opportunity for illegal business ventures.
Winlow draw s on Cloward and Ohlins distinction between conflict and criminal subcultures he notes in modern society here had been violent conflict subculutre in sunderland in which hard men earned status through ability to use violence.
Bodily Capital
Ar rise in professional criminal subculutre has emerged as a result of the new illicit business opportunities in the night leisure time economy this means the ability to sue violence is now a commodity with which earn a living.
To maintain a reputation and employability the men must use their bodily capital.
Messerschmidt study is important because
Study is important as it shows the expression of masculinity changes within the move of society however it opens up new criminal opportunitires sfor emn whoa re able to use violence .
