Feminist views on crime Flashcards
What’s Heidenson’s views on crime?
Adopted a control theory approach, suggesting that female criminality is a result of patriarchal control.
Argued an ‘ideology of seperate spheres’; females were dominant in the domestic sphere while males were dominant in the public and work spheres.
The domestic sphere restricted opportunities for women in the home, but set expectations to be the perfect wife, leaving little time for criminality.
The public sphere set expectations for women to be submissive for men, being enforced by male violence.
The work sphere means that the jobs with the highest status and pay were dominated by men, leading to men controlling women’s opportunities for committing white-collar crime.
Links to Adler’s concept of liberation leading to more female criminality.
E.g, 1 in 3 CEOs are women, despite employment becoming feminised.
What are the evaluations Heidenson’s views on crime?
May be seen as outdated as the position of women has changed a lot, and is constantly changing.
Rising female criminality suggests a loss of patriarchal control.
Fails to acknowledge the effects of other women on women’s behaviours.
What are Adler’s views on crime?
Described a liberation thesis; traditionally, women have been restricted to the domestic sphere, limiting both legitimate and illegitimate opportunities.
Social changes meant that women has more access to opportunities for employment and crime.
The empowerment of women increased self-confidence to challenge feminine stereotypes.
Increased strain to become providers for themselves and their family.
Girls should be socialised into being more assertive and a greater focus on being financially independent.
Illustrated by a rising number of female criminals.
What are the evaluations of Adler’s views on crime?
Female crime rose before second wave feminism.
The impact of second wave feminism was mostly on the middle class, with traditional gender roles still present in the working class.
What are Carlen’s views on crime?
Rejected Adler’s ideas, suggested that women are still largely controlled by social expectations.
Outlined two ways in which women conform to social norms: the class deal and the gender deal.
The class deal refers to women who chose employment and were rewarded for their behaviour, through material gains.
The gender deal refers to the conforming role of the housewife, which brought emotional and psychological rewards, with financial security being provided by the partner.
The rejection of these deals leads to criminality.
The women in her research had a history of poverty, she suggested that they had little to gain from class and gender deals, so chose crime.
Supported by the Colton report, highlighting the backgrounds of women in prison, finding high levels of inmates with long-term unemployment, lone parents and no partners.
What are the evaluations of Carlen’s views on crime?
Critics would suggest that the role of patriarchy is overstated in setting the deals that Carlen describes.
She also fails to acknowledge the criminality of working women or mothers.
