7. Feminism and Postmodernism theories of C&D

Question 1

Malestream sociology: Feminism critiques sociology for being what?

Answer 1

Male dominated and characterized by two themes of ‘amnesia’ , neglect and distortion

Question 2

Was does malestream sociology do little attempt at explaining?

Answer 2

Little attempt at explaining female offending, the gender gap between male and female offending and other forms of female deviance.

Question 2

What was forgotten or ignored?

Answer 2

Gender issues and female offending were forgotten or ignored

Question 2

What studies of crime are paid little attention to?

Answer 2

Studies of W/C crime are paid little attention to the fact W/C women in the same social position as men commit far less crime

Question 3

What is ignored in malestream sociology?

Answer 3

Female victimisation is ignored.

Question 4

What is malestream sociology?

Answer 4

Feminist’s see male dominance in society reflected in the male dominance of the sociology of crime which was seen as ‘malestream’ sociology.

Question 5

What reasons does Heidensohn suggest are reasons for invisibility of females?

Answer 5

-Researchers are predominately men
-Less study of female crime due to lower levels and the often invisible nature of the offenses committed by women.

Question 6

What is female criminology?

Answer 6

Focuses on female offending, women’s treatment by the justice system, victimization and the gender gap in offending

Question 7

What did Smart point out?

Answer 7

Pointed out women offenders are often seen as double deviants, they not only break the law but breach traditional gender roles

Question 8

What might conceptions of femininity and gender roles lead to?

Answer 8

Might lead women to be less deviant than men, but also why men are more deviant than women

Question 9

What did Mersserschmidt say about male crime and violence?

Answer 9

Said male crime and violence can be a means of accomplishing masculinity (achieving a masculine image) for men that have failed to achieve this in other areas of their lives.

Question 10

What are some contributions of feminist’s to study of C&D?

Answer 10

-New focus on female offending
-New focus on various types of victimization suffered by women
-Challenge to misconception that women enjoy ‘chivalry’ from CJS
-New focus on gender identity issues
-Raised questions about control theory

Question 11

What do Postmodernists argue?

Answer 11

Society is changing so rapidly and constantly that it is marked by uncertainty, risk and choice.

Question 12

What do Postmodernists view crime as?

Answer 12

Socially constructed - based on narrow legal definition reflecting outdated laws which do not reflect diversity of postmodern society.

Question 13

What are people freed from in a postmodern society?

Answer 13

Constraints arising from social norms and bonds to others.

Question 14

What is the postmodern definition of crime?

Answer 14

Crime is an expression of a particular view among those with power of how people involved conduct themselves, identify and difference.

Question 15

What do Henry & Miloudnouric suggest crime should be reconseptualised as?

Answer 15

As people using power to show disrespect for causing harm to others.

Question 16

What is a hate crime?

Answer 16

Those which are perceived by the victim of any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a persons ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

Question 17

What are the two forms of harm?

Answer 17

Harms of reduction - power is used to cause a victim to experience some immediate loss or injury

Harms of repression - power is used to restrict future human development.

Question 18

What do Postmodernists say are causes of crime?

Answer 18

-Marginalization
-Relative deprivation
-Anomie & strain
-Inadequate socialization
-Subcultural values
-Weakened social bonds

Question 19

What helps reduce constraints over commiting crime in a postmodern society?

Answer 19

Individuals increasingly focus on themselves, often with little sense of obligation to others, which reduces constraints over comitting crime.

Question 20

What does the individualism of identity in a postmodern society mean?

Answer 20

Means social causes of crime are indiscoverable. Each crime becomes a one off event, expressing whatever identity an individual chooses and is motivated by a number of causes.

Question 21

How is low-individual self esteem overcome?

Answer 21

Low self esteem may be overcome by criminal activities designed to earn respect from others.

Question 22

What do Levin & McDerrit suggest about perpetrators of hate crimes?

Answer 22

perpetrators of hate crime derive thrills, joys, excitement and pleasure from everyday routines by inflicting suffering on others.

Question 23

What is Katz’s ‘Edgework’?

Answer 23

Individuals comitting crime for the excitement and thrills they get from risk-taking involved and from ‘living life on the edge’

Question 24

What feelings do some people get out of comitting crime according to Katz?

Answer 24

Comitting crime may be gratifyingy, seductive adventure, generating a buzz of emotion from risk-taking in acts like shoplifting etc.

Question 25

Who may the thrills of comitting crime appeal to?

Answer 25

May appeal to a particularly young audience, especially young W/C men who lack the means of winning peer group respect and status.

Question 26

Strengths of the postmodernists approach to C&D?

Answer 26

-Recognizes there are other dimensions to the causes of crime beyond structural theories.
-Offers other explanations for non-utilitarian crime with no material benefit.
-Provides a fuller picture of the pattern of crime than the traditional provided of the transgressive conception of crime as ‘harm’

Question 27

Limitations of the postmodernist appraoch to C&D?

Answer 27

-Doesn’t explain why most people don’t use their power to harm others, or why some find it necessary to engage in acts of harm as a means of asserting identity.
-Fails to recognize that the consumer society may lead to resentment against those who cant afford to participate.

Question 28

What does Lea point out?

Answer 28

Postmodernists theories are not much more than a re-discovery of labelling theory which concluded crime was simply a social construction and that power was a crucial element in that construction.