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Flashcards in Gender And Crime Deck (37)
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1
Q

What percentage of convicted offenders are male?

A

80%.

2
Q

What type of crimes are males/females most likely to commit?

A

Males =

  • violent/sexual offences.
  • more likely to commit serious crimes.

Females =

  • property offences (except burglary).
  • prostitution, drug offences.
3
Q

Why is there a higher proportion of males in prison than females?

A

Because of the nature of their crimes =

  • women commit crimes that are less likely to hold a custodial sentence, so they don’t need to be vindictated.
4
Q

What theories are there for the gender differences in crime?

A

1) . Functionalist sex role theory (women don’t commit crime).
2) . Heidensohn: patriarchal control (women don’t commit crime).
3) . Chivalry thesis (women do commit crime).
4) . Liberation thesis (women do commit crime).
5) . Pat Carlen: class and gender deals (only some women commit crime).

5
Q

What does the functionalist sex role theory focus on?

A

Parsons (1955) =

focuses on gender socialisation and role models in the nuclear family.

  • women perform the expressive role = girls have a role model but boys reject the feminine traits.
6
Q

Why does Parsons say boys compensate masculinity with aggression?

A

Because the father performs the expressive role and they reject the feminine role at home =

  • men are largely outside the home.
  • so boys compensate masculinity with; risk-taking, aggression and anti-school behaviour.
7
Q

According to functionalists, why might boys offend?

A

1) . Compensate masculine characteristics =
- aggression; may lead to fights, resulting in assault conviction.
2) . A.K. Cohen (1955) =
- absence of a male role model means boys are more likely to turn to street gangs as a source of masculinity.

8
Q

How do feminists contrast functionalists?

A

They explain gender differences in offending in terms of patriarchy.

  • 2 main feminist approaches; control theory and liberation thesis.
9
Q

How is the functionalist sex role theory criticised?

A

Walklate (2003) =

  • Parsons assumes that because women are biologically capable of caring for a child, they best suit the expressive role.
  • his theory is based on biological assumptions about sex differences.
10
Q

What does Heidensohn: patriarchal control focus on?

A

Heidensohn (1985) =

  • women commit less crime because patriarchal society has greater control over them.
  • this reduces their opportunities to offend.
11
Q

According to Heidensohn, where does patriarchal control operate?

A

1) . At home.
2) . In public.
3) . At work.

12
Q

How does patriarchal control operate at home?

A

Women’s domestic role =

  • constant housework and childcare restricts women’s time, confining them to the house (dual/triple shift).
  • men impose this through the threat of domestic violence and their financial power.
13
Q

How does patriarchal control at home restrict daughters?

A

They are expected to do more housework, so they develop a “bedroom culture”.

14
Q

How does patriarchal control operate in public?

A

1). Fear of male sexual violence =

reports (moral panics) of rape frighten women into staying indoors.

2). Respectability =

make-up, appearance, etc, define a women’s reputation.

  • going into a bar alone is feared as they may be regarded as ‘sexually loose’ (bars = site of criminal activity).
15
Q

How does patriarchal control operate at work?

A
  • Women’s subordinate position at work reduces criminal opportunities (e.g. white-collar crimes).
  • The ‘glass ceiling’ =

prevents women rising to senior position, inhibiting white-collar crimes.

16
Q

What does the chivalry thesis focus on?

A

1) . CJS is more lenient to women because;
- it’s agents are male.
- men are socialised to act ‘chivalrously’ towards women (protect them).

17
Q

How does Pollak (1950) describe men’s chivalrous attitudes towards women?

A
  • Men are protective of omen.

- So, are unwilling to arrest, charge or prosecute them.

18
Q

What does Pollak say the result of men’s chivalrous attitudes are for official crime statistics?

A

Female crimes are less likely to end up in crime statistics, so, it under-represents female crime.

19
Q

How is Pollak’s argument applied to interactionism?

A

He suggest females are positively labelled by male agents of social control.

20
Q

What is the main assumption the chivalry thesis makes about female crime?

A

That it does happen, however, male agents of social control inhibit their sentences.

21
Q

Who developed the liberation thesis?

A

Alder (1975).

22
Q

What does the liberation thesis focus on?

A

Less patriarchal control and discrimination, so =

  • women’s offending will become similar to men’s.
  • there will be a rise in female crime, as opportunities have become more equal.
23
Q

What are the criticisms of the liberation thesis?

A

1) . Female crime started rising before the liberation movement began.
2) . Most female criminals are w/c = unlikely to be influenced by the movement.

24
Q

What did Steffensmeier and Schwartz (2009) find about female violent crime?

A

Increase in official statistics didn’t match the findings of victim surveys/self-report studies.

25
Q

What is meant by ‘net widening’?

A

CJS prosecutes females for more less serious violence than previously.

26
Q

What does Sharpe and Gelsthorpe (2009) say the trend in UK is towards prosecuting females?

A

Trend towards prosecuting females for minor offences.

27
Q

Who’s theory supports Sharpe and Gelsthorpe’s assumption?

A

Young (2011) =

  • calls this ‘defining deviance up’ –> catch trivial offences in the net.
28
Q

How does Worrall (2004) show that female crime is a social construct?

A

Used to be labelled as ‘welfare’ issues =

  • no been re-labelled as criminal.
29
Q

What does Sharpe (2009) say the increase of female convictions is due to?

A

Moral panics =

  • found CJS professionals are influenced by media stereotypes of violent ‘ladettes’.
30
Q

How does moral panics of female crime create a deviance amplification spiral?

A
  • Police/CJS take a tougher stance.
  • Resulting in more convictions.
  • Producing further negative media coverage.
31
Q

Which survey is used the most in victim surveys?

A

CSEW.

32
Q

What does the CESW show about gender differences in offending?

A

1) . More men than women = victim to violent/homicide crimes.
2) . More women than men = victim of intimate violence.
3) . 10x more women = reported being sexually abused.
4) . Only 8% of sexual assault victims reported it.
5) . Women = greater fear of crime.
- CSEW shows they are less at risk.
- some surveys show they are at a greater risk.

33
Q

What concept does Messerschmidt focus on to explain why men are more likely to commit crime?

A

Masculinity.

34
Q

What does Messerschmidt refer masculinity to?

A

An ‘accomplishment’ =

  • something men have to construct and work at.
  • some have more resources than others.
35
Q

What are the 2 types of masculinity Messerschmidt outlines?

A

1) . Hegemonic masculinity.

2) . Subordinated masculinity.

36
Q

What is hegemonic masculinity?

A

1) . Dominant –> most men wish to accomplish.
2) . Define through =

  • hard work.
  • ability to subordinate women (at home and work).
  • heterosexuality.
37
Q

What is subordinated masculinity?

A

1) . Lack of resources for hegemonic.
2) . Many lower-class, ethnic minority, homosexual men.
3) . They turn to crime to assert masculinity due to lack of resources, in an attempt gain hegemonic.
4) . Can be m/c men = white-collar/corporate crime.