Why do women commit crime ? Flashcards
What are the 2 possible sociological explanations for why women commit crime ?
Class and Gender Deals
Liberation Thesis
What does Carlen (1988) say about Class and Gender deals ?
Although some female criminals are middle class, most serious female criminals are working class
According to Carlen what is a class deal ?
Material rewards in return for working hard
According to Carlen what is the gender deal ?
Material and emotional rewards from family life if they conform to the social expectations attached to being a mother and wife
Why are Carlen’s views mostly criticised ?
Because they see women’s behaviour as determined by external forces, which underplays free will
What does Adler (1975) say about the liberation thesis ?
As society is becoming less patriarchal, so female crime rates will rise
What did Hand and Dodd (2009) add ?
Between 2000 and 2008, police statistics show the number of females arrested for violence rose by an average of 17% each year
What do Steffenmeister and Schwartz (2009) conclude about women lack of involvement in violent crime ?
They argue that the rise in arrests is due to the justice system ‘widening the net’
What does Sharpe (2009) say about moral panic ?
That professionals such as judges and police were influenced by media stereotypes of ‘ladettes’
