why do women commit less crime? Flashcards
What are the three ways that we can explain gender differences in offending?
Offences
Sex role theory
Control theory
What offences do women commit and why does it appear that women commit less crime?
shoplifting, fraud, they are not committed as often, they also dont have the time
How does Sex Role theory explain women committing less crime?
Functionalist
Sex Role Theory explains gendered differences in offending in terms of the differences in gender socialization, gender roles and gendered identities.
The norms and values associated with traditional femininity are not conducive to crime, while the norms and values associated with traditional masculinity are more likely to lead to crime.
female socialisation
Parsons (1937) argued that because females carry out the ‘expressive role’ in the family
Girls grew up to internalise values such as caring and empathy, both of which reduce the likelihood of someone committing crime.
The child caring role also means that women are also effectively more attached to their families and wider communities than men – It is traditionally women who keep in touch with relatives and get to know their children’s friends families and thus bond local communities together.
Similarly, because traditional female gender roles involve women being busier than men, especially since they have taken on the ‘dual burden’ and ‘triple shift’ in recent decades, this reduces the opportunities for women to commit crime.
Masculinity and the high crime rate:
Parsons (1964) theorized that the early socialization of boys into the instrumental role of traditional masculine identities is at least partly responsible for the higher male crime rate.
Whilst girls have access to an adult role model, boys tend to reject feminine models of behaviour that express tenderness, gentleness and emotion. Instead, boys try to distance themselves from such models by engaging in aggression, anti-social behaviour, and risk taking.
Sociologist Sutherland (1960) stated this very simply by saying that ‘boys are taught to be “rough and tough,” which makes them more likely to become delinquent’.
Evaluation of the Sex role theory
In terms of Hirschi’s bonds of attachment theory, women are more attached to wider society and thus less likely to commit crime – this links to Parson’s explanations of women being socialised to be attached to their community and family.
Sub-cultural theorists A.K. Cohen and Cloward and Ohlin, proposed that in gangs, younger members learn through contact with older males that traits such as toughness and dominance are necessary in order to assert a strong masculine reputation. – male socialisation.
One criticism of sex-role theory is that it is less relevant in today’s society because of the decline of traditional gender roles.
Feminist, Walklate (2003) criticises role sex theory for its biological assumptions that are inherently sexist.
Although the theory tries to explain the gender differences in crime through socialisation, it is ultimately based on biological assumptions of sex differences.
extra A03 for sex role theory
McRobbie (1978)
McRobbie believed thatteenage girlswere less likely to commit crime because they were more likely to spend time in their bedrooms (bedroom culture), rather than going out. Therefore, they haveno opportunityto commit crime.
HOWEVER, this research could be seen asout of datebecause boys now also spend time in their bedrooms on games consoles.
HOWEVER, the activities that girls and boys participate in in their bedrooms are different – girls read, do homework, watch TV whereasboys play violent video gameson their games consoles, which can be seen to encourage crime.
Heidensohn - Patriarchal control theory
Control Theory:Another explanation for gender differences in criminality is the idea that women and girls are controlled more than boys and men are.
Part of the canalisation of gender roles during primary and secondary socialisation has historically been the comparative freedom that boys enjoy: being able to stay out later and generally being under less informal surveillance than girls.
According to Heidensohn, girls are controlled by fathers and other relatives until they are married when they are controlled by their husbands.
Living in a patriarchal society imposes greater control over women and this reduces their opportunity to offend
i.e. dont have time, fear of glass ceiling, reputation, lack of promotion, labelled, sexual harassment, subordinates
Patriarchal control - evaluation
Heidensohn also recognises that patriarchy can push some women into crime i.e. women are more likely to be poor and may turn to theft or prostitution to gain a decent standard of living. – greater applicability to explaining female crime.
Some suggest that this is an outdated picture. Are girls and women still more controlled than boys and men? Adler suggests that women today have much more freedom (and suggests that is why female crime is now increasing.)
Functionalists would suggest that men and women perform different gender roles in the family in order for society to function properly, rather than society being patriarchal and male-dominated.
What does Carlen argue about Control Theory
Carlen argues that working class women are generally led to conform through the promise of 2 types of ‘deals’.
If these rewards are not available or worth the effort, crime becomes more likely – this was the case with the women in Carlen’s study.
gender deal - stick to the stereotypes of women and you will be rewarded with emotional rewards
class deal - work hard, earn a good wage and you will be rewarded with material goods
The class deal
32/39 of these women had always been in poverty.
Some found that their qualifications gained in prison did not help them secure a job.
Others had been on training courses but still couldn’t get a job.
Many had experienced problems and humiliation in trying to claim benefits.
In terms of the class deal, the women had failed to find a legitimate way of earning a decent living and this left them feeling powerless,oppressedand the victims of injustice. As they gained no rewards from the class deal, they felt they had nothing to lose by using crime to escape from poverty.
The gender deal
In terms of the gender deal for conforming to patriarchal family norms, most of the women, had either not had the opportunity to make the deal, or saw few rewards and many disadvantages in family life.
Some of the women had been abused during childhood and adulthood. Over half of the women had spent time in care, and those that ran away from care found themselves homeless.
Many of the women reached the conclusion that ‘crime was the only route to a decent standard of living. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain.’
Evaluation of Carlens study
Strengths
Carlen used unstructured, tape recorded interviews so she could produce in-depth rich data, develop a rapport with the women, and strengthen the validity of her findings.
She does recognise that there are middle-class offences as well as working class ones.
Weaknesses
Carlen only studies working class women and crime so does not show a true representation of women and crime as a whole.
Her study was conducted on a small scale so is unrepresentative.
Critics argue that it can be accused of seeing women’s behaviour as determined by external factors such as patriarchal control - Carlen’s study underplays the importance of free will.
