Gender and crime

Question 1

Gender and crime:

Answer 1

• Official stats show men commit more crime than women (sociologists disagree on reasons why)
• Some argue female offending rates go unnoticed and unpunished because the criminal justice system treats women more leniently
• Through ideas such as the chivalry thesis (Pollak)
• However, some argue the gender differences in offending are due to the way women are socialised
• Meaning they have less opportunity or desire to commit crime
• On the other hand, others argue women do commit crime
• But men merely commit more due to the ideas of ‘masculinity’

Question 2

Why women commit less crime than men:

Answer 2

• Patriarchal control theory
• Functionalist Sex role theory

Question 3

• Patriarchal control theory

Answer 3

• Heidensohn argues women have at least one male figure in their life who does not want them to commit crime

Question 4

• Functionalist Sex role theory

Answer 4

• Parsons argues that due to their biology and the way they are socialised, women are nurturing by nature
• And therefore, are incapable of/do not want to commit crime
• Women are too preoccupied being a mother

Question 5

Women committing crime:

Answer 5

• Chivalry thesis
• Liberation thesis
• Class and gender deals

Question 6

• Chivalry thesis

Answer 6

• Pollak argues men have a protective attitude towards women
• Therefore, are more lenient so their crimes are less likely to end up in official stats
• E.g. women are more likely to be ‘let off’ for crimes such as speeding

Question 7

• Liberation thesis

Answer 7

• Alder believes that women are now becoming much more equal in society with men
• Therefore, they now commit more crime

Question 8

• Class and gender deals

Answer 8

• Carlen suggests that women have two deals
• 1. Class deal (that if they work hard, they will be financially rewarded in life)
• 2. Gender deal (that is they are a good mother and wife they will be treated well)
• He believes that when both break down women turn to crime

Question 9

Why men commit more crime than women:

Answer 9

• Masculinity
• Globalisation

Question 10

• Masculinity

Answer 10

• Messerschmidt argues that masculinity is an accomplishment that men constantly work at constructing and presenting to others
• This is referred to as the hegemonic masculinity
• Which is the dominant and prestigious form men wish to accomplish.
• Therefore, M sees crime and deviance as a resource that different men may use to accomplish masculinity

Question 11

• Globalisation

Answer 11

• Winlow argues that globalisation has led to decline in traditional manual jobs in which many working-class males could express their masculinity through
• However there has been an increase in nighttime leisure economy which has provided a combination of legal employment and criminal opportunities to express masculinity