Gender and Crime Flashcards
How does sex role theory explain the low crime rates among females?
Women commit less crime than men because of their socialisation
Girls socialised to be caring, gentle and obedient - not typical criminal traits
Boys socialised to be tough, aggressive and risk-taking - more typical criminal traits
How does Parsons explain low crime rates among women using sex role theory?
Girls have accessible role model at home - i.e. mother
Boys lack accessible role model because father is at work - primary socialised by mother, reject feminine behaviour by acting tough
Boys may also look to gangs for a male role model to assert their masculinity
Why might girls being socialised into being caring, gentle and obedient mean they commit less crime?
May mean they commit less crime than men because women socialisation leads them into more passive and submissive role
Why might lack of an accessible male role model lead to more boys committing crime?
May lead to more male crime because they may turn to gangs for a male role model and therefore commit crime as a way to assert their masculinity
Why does feminist Heidensohn argue women commit less crime?
Women conform and commit fewer crimes because they are subject to patriarchal control in every aspect of their lives
- home
- work
- public
What does feminist Heidensohn argue greater control in women’s lives restricts?
Restricts the opportunities available to women to commit crime
What does feminist Carlen argue about WC women and crime?
Argue WC women turn to crime when they are unable to achieve two deals for conformity
- class deal
- gender deal
What is the class deal?
Material rewards for working women
i.e. decent standard of living
What is the gender deal?
Rewards for conforming to traditional gender role
What does women failing to achieve these deals cause?
Causes women to make a rational choice to commit when the rewards of conformity are less than the rewards of crime
Why may some WC women not be able to achieve these deals?
Because of things such as poverty, unemployment and abusive partners
What are the criticisms of feminists Heidensohn and Carlen?
Both demonstrate how patriarchal control influences women’s behaviour
Both assume women are powerless against patriarchal control - too deterministic
What does feminist Adler argue about women?
Women are becoming liberated from patriarchal control
Through longer in education, financial independence, assertive female role models etc.
What does women’s liberation lead to?
Leads to women committing crimes usually associated with men
e. g. more women at work = more opportunity to commit white-collar crime
e. g. more women in senior positions = more opportunity for corporate crime
Why might women’s liberation have led to more women committing white-collar crime?
Because women’s freedom has allowed them to become independent from the control of males giving them more opportunity to commit crime
