Gender patterns in crime

Question 1

Which gender commits the most crime?

Answer 1

Most crime is committed by males

Question 2

What proportion of convicted offenders are male?

Answer 2

⅘ convicted offenders are male

Question 3

What type of offences do a higher proportion of females get convicted for?

Answer 3

Property offences

Question 4

What type of offences do a higher proportion of males get convicted for?

Answer 4

Violent or sexual offences

Question 5

Who argues that gender difference is the most important feature of reported crime?

Answer 5

Heidensohn and Silverstri

Question 6

2 reasons why statistics underestimate the extent of female crime?

Answer 6

1. typical female crimes are less likely to be noticed
2. women are less likely to be prosecuted

Question 7

What is the chivalry thesis?

Answer 7

Most criminal agents are men who are socialised to act chivalrous towards women

The chivalry thesis suggests that societal norms lead men to protect women, influencing criminal justice outcomes.

Question 8

According to Pollock, how do men typically behave towards women?

Answer 8

Men are protective towards women

This protection can affect how female offenders are treated in the criminal justice system.

Question 9

What do self-report studies suggest about female offenders?

Answer 9

Female offenders are treated more leniently

The ratio is 1:11 for female offenders cautioned or prosecuted vs. 1:7 for males.

Question 10

What did Graham and Bowling find regarding offending rates between genders?

Answer 10

Males are more likely to offend, but the difference is smaller than the statistics showed

This suggests that the perception of male criminality may be exaggerated.

Question 11

According to Hood, how does the likelihood of women being jailed compare to men in similar cases?

Answer 11

Women are ⅓ less likely to be jailed in similar cases

This statistic highlights potential gender biases in sentencing.

Question 12

Who is the main sociologist for the chivalry thesis?

Answer 12

Pollock

Question 13

3 pieces of evidence in support of the chivalry thesis

Answer 13

1.Self report studies suggest that female offenders are treated more leniently - 1:11 female offenders had been cautioned or prosecuted vs 1:7 males
2.Graham and Bowling - males are more likely to offend but the difference is smaller than the statistics showed
3.Hood - women are ⅓ less likely to be jailed in similar cases

Question 14

who found that women are less likely to be jailed?

Answer 14

Hood

Question 15

who found that the gender differences in offending is smaller than what statistics suggest?

Answer 15

Graham and Bowling

Question 16

3 pieces of evidence against the chivalry thesis

Answer 16

1. Farrington and Morris - women are not sentenced more leniently
2. self report studies show that men commit more crime
3. Buckle and Farrington - there are more male shoplifters which suggests that women are more likely to be prosecuted than males

Question 17

Is there a bias against women in the CJS?

Answer 17

Yes, there is a bias against women in the CJS

Question 18

What percentage of judges were women?

Answer 18

25% of judges were women

This indicates a significant gender imbalance in the judiciary.

Question 19

According to Heidensohn, how do courts treat females?

Answer 19

Courts treat females more harshly and employ double standards

This suggests systemic discrimination in judicial proceedings.

Question 20

What did Sharpe find regarding girls and sexual activity?

Answer 20

Girls are more likely to be referred for support when they are sexually active

This points to a gendered approach in handling cases of sexual activity.

Question 21

What does Stewart argue about women who don’t conform to societal standards?

Answer 21

Women who don’t conform to standards of heterosexuality and motherhood are punished more harshly

This highlights the intersection of gender norms and legal consequences.

Question 22

According to Carlen, what influences the jailing of women?

Answer 22

Women are jailed less for the seriousness of their crimes and more according to the courts’ assessment of them as wives

This suggests that societal roles impact judicial outcomes.

Question 23

What did Judge Wild express about rape victims?

Answer 23

Judge Wild blamed rape victims rather than the rapists

This reflects a troubling attitude towards victims in the judicial system.

Question 24

evidence suggesting that there is a bias against women in the CJS

Answer 24

25% of judges were women
Heidensohn - courts treat females more harshly and employ double standards
Sharpe - girls are more likely to be referred for support when they are sexually active
Stewart - women who don’t conform to standards of heterosexuality and motherhood are punished more harshly
Carlen - women are jailed less for the seriousness of their crimes and more according to the courts assessment of them as wives
Judge Wild blamed rape victims rather than the rapists

Question 26

Functionalist sex role theory

Answer 26

- Differences in socialisation affect behaviour - Parsons - girls have access to a feminine role model but boys reject such role models by engaging in compensatory compulsory masculinity through aggressive anti-social behaviour - Cohen - socialisation may be harder for boys as a lack of role models could lead them to street gangs for masculine identity - New Right theorists - absence of male role models turns boys to gangs for a sense of identity and status

Question 27

What does Parsons say about the functionalist sex role theory?

Answer 27

girls have access to a feminine role model but boys reject such role models by engaging in compensatory compulsory masculinity through aggressive anti-social behaviour

Question 28

What does Cohen say about the functionalist sex role theory?

Answer 28

socialisation may be harder for boys as a lack of role models could lead them to street gangs for masculine identity

Question 29

What does the New Right say about functionalist sex role theory?

Answer 29

absence of male role models turns boys to gangs for a sense of identity and status

Question 30

Who criticises the functionalist sex role theory? How?

Answer 30

Walklate questions the assumption that women are best suited to the expressive role. This theory is based on biological assumptions about sex differences

Question 31

What is patriarchal control theory? Who is the key sociologist?

Answer 31

Heidensohn - women have fewer opportunities to commit crime due to patriarchal controls

Question 32

In which 4 places do women experience patriarchal control?

Answer 32

Home, public, school, work

Question 33

How do women experience control within the home?

Answer 33

women’s domestic role can restrict women’s time and movement. Dobash and Dobash found that control at home is imposed through violent attacks and men could exercise control through their positions as breadwinners. Daughters are less likely to be allowed to stay out late and more likely to be made to do chores which limits opportunities for crime

Question 34

Who talked about domestic abuse?

Answer 34

Dobash and Dobash

Question 35

Who talked about control in pubic?

Answer 35

Sue Less

Question 36

Examples of control in public

Answer 36

women are controlled in public by fearing men and sexual violence: - 54% women avoid going out after dark vs 14% men - Sensationalist media coverage fuels fear - Fear of not being seen as respectable - avoid a ‘reputation’ by dressing respectfully and avoid going to pubs

Question 37

How do women experience control at school?

Answer 37

sexualised verbal abuse from boys and labelling of girls as ‘slags’

Question 38

How do women experience control at work?

Answer 38

sexual harassment from male supervisors and the glass ceiling limits a women’s power within a company which prevents them from being involved in corporate crime

Question 39

2 theories explaining why women don't commit crime

Answer 39

Functionalist sex role theory / Patriarchal control theory

Question 40

who is the key sociologist for class and gender deals

Answer 40

Carlen

Question 41

explain class and gender deals

Answer 41

Carlen found that the failure of patriarchal society to deliver promised deals removes controls stopping women offending. poverty, being brought up in care and oppressive family life were key to female criminality

Question 42

what theory is class and gender deals based on?

Answer 42

Hirschi control's theory

Question 43

What are class deals according to Carlen?

Answer 43

women who work are promised that they will receive material rewards - decent standards of living and leisure opportunities but 2/3 of women in her study had always been in poverty. many experienced humiliation in trying to claim benefits and many turned to crime to escape poverty

Question 44

Explain Carlen's gender deals

Answer 44

patriarchal ideology promises women material and emotional rewards for following conventional domestic gender norms but many women have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse due to men. over half of the women in her study had spent time in care

Question 45

who is the key sociologist for the liberation thesis?

Answer 45

Alder

Question 46

2 reasons why women do commit crime

Answer 46

Class and Gender Deals Liberation Thesis

Question 47

Explain liberation thesis with examples

Answer 47

Alder - as patriarchal society controls women, a society that is becoming less patriarchal will have higher crime rates amongst women. - Women are adopting traditionally male role of legitimate activity and illegitimate activity - increased participation in armed robbery - More women in senior positions at work leads to the rise of women in white collar crime e.g embezzlement - Growth of girl gangs - Females are as likely as males to take part in risk taking behaviour - Girls are increasingly wanting to be in control and ‘look hard’

Question 48

Counterargument against liberation thesis

Answer 48

- Female crime rate was rising in the 1950s before the women’s liberation movement in the late 1960s - Chesney-Lind - poor women are less likely to experience the positive impact of women’s liberation / women involved in ‘male crimes’ such as drugs normally did so due to links to prostitution - Laider and Hunt - female gang members confirmed to conventional gender roles

Question 49

who said that poor women are less likely to experience the positive impact of women's liberation

Answer 49

Chesney-Lind

Question 50

who argued that female gang members conformed to conventional gender roles

Answer 50

Laider and Hunt

Question 51

Who found that there was a rise in arrests due to the CJS 'widening the net' rather than a rise in female crime?

Answer 51

Steffensmeier and Schwartz

Question 52

Who found that there is a growing trend towards prosecuting females for low level physical alterations?

Answer 52

Sharpe and Gelsthrope

Question 53

Are women being criminalised?

Answer 53

- Steffensmeier and Schwartz - rise in arrests was due to CJS ‘widening the net’ rather than a rise in female crime - Chesney-Lind - mandatory arrests for domestic violence has led to a steep rise in female violence statistics as both partners may be arrested when a couple fights - Sharpe and Gelsthrope - growing trend towards prosecuting females for low level physical alterations - Jock Young - defining deviance up - Worral - previously this behaviour was seen as a welfare issue but now it is seen as a crime

Question 54

Is there a moral panic about girls? (3 points, 4 sociologists)

Answer 54

- Burman and Batchelor - media portrayals of women as drunk and disorderly, out of control - Sharpe professionals such as judges are influenced by media portrayals of ‘ladettes’ - Steffensmeier - stereotypes such as ‘ladettes’ was affecting sentencing decisions

Question 55

Are men or women more likely to know their killer?

Answer 55

Women

Question 56

what crimes are women more likely to be victims of?

Answer 56

sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking

Question 57

what % of women who experienced serious sexual assault reported it to the police?

Answer 57

8%

Question 58

who said that women are at a greater risk?

Answer 58

Lea and Young

Question 59

Two reasons why men commit crime

Answer 59

Masculinity and postmodernity

Question 60

Who is the key thinker for the masculinity explanation for male crime?

Answer 60

Messerschmidt

Question 61

How does masculinity lead to male crime?

Answer 61

Hegemonic is the dominant masculinity but when men fail to accomplish it, they have subordinated masculinity which encourages them to use crime to accomplish masculinity

Question 62

3 criticisms of Messerschmidt's masculinity explanation

Answer 62

- Masculinity could just be a description of male offenders. This argument is circular: masculinity explains male crimes because they are crimes committed by men - Doesn’t explain why all men don’t use crime to accomplish masculinity - Overworks the concept of masculinity

Question 63

Who is the key thinker in the postmodernity explanation for male crime?

Answer 63

Winlow

Question 64

What is the postmodernity explanation for male crime?

Answer 64

Postmodernity and globalisation has led to a shift from traditional manual jobs through which men could express their masculinity. Job opportunities in the service sector have risen Bouncers in Sunderland - absence of a professional criminal culture meant that there was little opportunity for a career in organised crime. Using bodily capital and violence to display masculinity and as a commodity to earn a living has emerged in the night time economy

Question 65

what group does Winlow focus on?

Answer 65

Bouncers in Sunderland

Question 66

Why is Winlow's postmodernity explanation important?

Answer 66

shows how the expression of masculinity changes with the move from a modern industrial society to a postmodern de-industrialised one which has opened up new criminal opportunities