Gender crime and justice Crime and Deviance You

Gender, crime and justice Crime and Deviance

You will be able to Understand the main gender differences in recorded patterns of offending, 2. Understand evaluate the debates about the treatment of men and women in the criminal justice system, 3. Evaluate explanations of the relationship between women and crime and between men and crime. 1.

Key points of focus Striking gender differences in the patterns of recorded crime, 2. Male dominated criminology which neglects female criminality, 3. Causes of male criminality or the relationship between masculinity and crime. 1.

Gender patterns in crime �Key topics 1. 2. 3. Chivalry thesis, Evidence against chivalry thesis, Bias against women

Have a think ? �What is recorded crime ? �Out of every 10 crimes recorded to police how many involve male offenders?

Frances Heidensohn (1996) �Gender differences are the most significant feature of recorded crime 1. 4 out of 5 convicted offenders in England Wales are males, 2. By the age of 40, 9% of females had a criminal conviction against 32% of males,

3 important questions. . �Do women actually commit more crime or are the figures an invalid picture of gender patterns of crime? �How can we explain why those women who do offend commit crime? �Why do males commit more crime than females?

Shoplifting. . . �http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=u. Ld 3 - cf. Llv. U

What do you think ? One of the most common crimes committed by women is shoplifting suggest three reasons for this ?

So do women actually commit more crime ? Prostitution is likely less likely to Shoplifting is less to be Women are less“seller” likely toorbe be reported by the police prosecuted the “buyer”

What is Chivalry? ? the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight; courage, honour, justice, and a readiness to help the weak (especially women)

The chivalry thesis �Read through each of the cards in pairs arrange them in order. �Is it an explanation of the chivalry thesis? �Is it evidence against thesis? �What order do the paragraphs go in? This should help you think about the way you structure essays

Evidence against the chivalry thesis �Farrington and Morris (1983) – study of sentencing �Buckle and Farrington (1984) – observational study of shoplifting �Box (1981) – self report studies Which of these methods is the best one in order to get reliable data ?

Bias against women �Read through the bias against women paragraph

Bias against women Read through the bias against women section in your handbook and write down and mini paragraph which summarises it. You have 10 minutes to complete this task

Explaining female crime �Key topics 1. Is the criminal justice system more lenient towards women ? 2. Is crime in women due to biological differences or the cause of social differences?

Explaining female crime biologically �Lombroso & Ferrero (1893) Criminality is innate Less female crime a very few females are ‘born criminal’ �Recent biological explanations Higher levels of testosterone

Explaining female crime �Functionalist sex role theory �Heidensohn: Patriarchal control �Carlen: class and gender �The liberation thesis

Explaining female crime �In pairs use the information in your text book to complete a mind map summary of theory you are allocated. �Use colours and pictures where possible & keep words to a minimum �Using the mind maps write a short summary of each theory

What do you think? What is it about ‘being male’ that leads men to offend?

Messerschmidt (1993) �Masculinity is a social construct, accomplishment �Men have to work to constantly work to achieve and assert their masculinity �Some men have more resources to draw on to do this than others �Hegemonic Vs Subordinate masculinities

Hegemonic masculinity �The dominant prestigious form of masculinity Paid work Subordination of women Heterosexism – desire women

Subordinated masculinities �Gay �Lower class �Ethnic minority

White middle-class youths �Subordinate themselves to teachers in order to achieve middle class status �Accommodating masculinity in school �Oppositional form outside – drinking, vandalism

White lower class youths �Less chance of educational success �Their masculinity is opposed in school and out of school �Oppose teachers & hold sexes attitudes to construct their masculinity �Willis ‘lads’ study

Black lower class youths �Few expectations of a reasonable job �Use gang membership and violence to explain their masculinity �Turn to property crime to achieve material success

Men (not just youths) commit crime. . . . to assert their hegemonic masculinity Middle class – white collar / corporate crime Working class – street robbery = subordinate masculinity

Criticisms of Messerschmidt �He does not explain why all me use crime to accomplish masculinity �He over-works (over-uses it) attempting to make it explain many widely different types of male crime �His argument is unclear; is masculinity a cause of crime or just a description of male offenders?

Topic tennis

Homework - Reminder �Methods in context essay – experiments due last Monday �Revise for timed Mi. C essay in Monday’s lesson- Questionnaires �Optional Gender & Crime Question

Functionalist sex role theory �Differences in the socialisation of males and females can explain gender differences in crime, �Parsons (1955) gender roles in the nuclear family, �Cohen (1955)Lack of role models in males can lead to boys joining all male street gangs (subcultural theories), �New right sociologist believe that lack of role model leads to males seeking status and identity in gangs

Arguments against the sex role theory � Walklate (2003): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . � 2 key feminist theories: Control theory and Liberation Thesis

Heidensohn (1985) Patriarchal Control �Conformist (patriarchal society reduces women’s opportunity to offend): Control at home (restrictions due to domestic duties) – Dobash and Dobash (1979), 2. Control in public (fear of male violence – sexual violence) – Lees (1993), 3. Control at work (women’s behaviour is controlled by males supervisors/managers – sexual harrassment) 1.

Carlen (1988) – Class and Gender Deals Read through Carlen sub section and summarise the concept of class and gender deals including evaluation

Freda Adler (1975) – Liberation thesis � Changes in the structure of society has led to changes in offending behaviour, � Changes in the crime committed by women due to women increase of self confidence and assertiveness, � Denscombe (2001) Criticism? � Female crime has been rising since the 1950’s, � Most female criminals are working class, � Chesney – Lind (1997) and Laidler and Hunt (2001)

Optional Essay question �Compete the last two pages of your handout on masculinity and crime using the “why do men commit crime section of your handout”. �Page 109 of your handout complete the 21 marks essay question which I will only take for marking up to Friday 28 th of November 2010. �Remember it is optional but your best way to practice writing exam questions.