gender and crime

Question 1

POLLAK - chivalry thesis

Answer 1

• men have protective attitudes towards women, so are less likely to prosecute them
• female crime is underrepresented in crime statistics
• problem: these ideas are now out of date

Question 2

PARSONS - sex role theory

Answer 2

• boys tend to be socialised to be physical, competitive, aggressive, macho and risk takers while girls tend to be socialised into being compliant, conformists and reserved
• compulsory masculinity
• instrumental/expressive roles

Question 3

CARLEN + HEIDENSOHN (feminists) - fewer opportunities to commit crime

Answer 3

• women have fewer opportunities to commit crime, as they are often caring for children or husbands
• men have greater opportunities to commit crime

Question 4

HEIDENSOHN - strict supervision

Answer 4

• women commit fewer crimes than men because patriarchal society imposes greater control over women
• women still have pressure of triple shift, and men are able to impose this through the threat of domestic violence
• socialised into the role of housewife
• girls are more likely to develop ‘bedroom culture’ - not going out and expected to help around the house

Question 5

CARLEN - unstructured interviews

Answer 5

• 39 unstructured interviews of female offenders aged 15-49
• majority from WC backgrounds
• 32 had lived in poverty
• had problems in employment/education
• broken family
• been in care/homeless
• suffered from sexual/physical abuse

Question 6

CARLEN - two deal promise

Answer 6

• argues WC women are led to conform through promise of two deals:

1. class deal - women who work will get a standard of living
2. gender deal - conforming to conventional domestic gender roles will gain emotional/material rewards of family life

Question 7

DENSCOMBE - girls taking risks

Answer 7

• now more women involved in violent crimes
• growth in girl gangs
• girls nowadays are just as likely to take risks, be in control and try to ‘look hard’

Question 8

ALDER - liberation theory

Answer 8

• if women are becoming liberated from patriarchy, crimes rates will be similar to males
• female increase in crime links to changing roles / identities
• women have adopted male roles both in work and offending behaviour
• women no longer commit traditional female crimes, such as prostitution/shoplifting
• high status in employment, so more chances for white collar crime