IS SHE WORSE THAN HIM An Attitudes and

IS SHE WORSE THAN HIM? An Attitudes and Perceptions Study Sydney Mullins

Purpose ■ The purpose of this research is to assess the attitudes and perceptions, of the general public, surrounding the same acts being committed by males and females. The goal is to determine if a person committing criminal acts is perceived more or less deviant based on their gender. By doing this, it will hopefully show whether this gender disparity is a public problem, or if it is solely a problem of the legal system.

Overview ■ Theory – How different theories have been applied to this problem. ■ Hypotheses – What I think the main causes are. ■ Methods – How data was collected. ■ Data – What the data says.

THEORY

Liberal Feminism ■ “When asked to describe a criminal, the first characteristic most respondents would identify is male. ” In fact, “few would argue that females are more criminal than male” 1 ■ So when a female does commit a crime, the “Female defendants will be sanctioned not only for their offenses, but also for their inappropriate sex role behavior” 2 ■ The idea that the violation of gender roles is what is causing gender disparity within the justice system ties into liberal feminism theory. 1. 2. Maguire, M. , & Okada, D. (2015) Criminological theory and crime explanation. Critical issues in crime and justice: Thought, policy, and practice (2 nd ed). 33 -50. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. Nagel, I. and Hogan, H. (1983) Gender and crime: Offense patterns and criminal court sanctions. Crime and Justice, 4, 91 -144

Liberal Feminism ■ For the most part, liberal feminists see gender inequality emerging from the creation of separate and distinct spheres of influence and traditional attitudes about the appropriate role of men and women in society. 1 ■ Women who challenge the traditional patriarchal gender role structure are viewed as unruly women worthy of punishment. 1 1. Simpson, S. (1977). Feminist theory, crime, and justice. Criminology. 27. 4, 605 -631.

Liberal Feminism ■ Women who “commit more masculine crimes…will not benefit from their gender, and will not be preferentially treated compared to men, and may even receive harsher sentences, as they are not only violating the law but gender roles as well” 1 ■ Most applicable to drug offenses and prostitution 1. Rodriguez, R. , Curry, T. , &Lee, G. (2006). Gender differences in criminal sentencing: Do effects vary across violent, property, and drug offenses? Social Science Quarterly, 87, 2, 318 -339. Doi. 10. 1111/j. 1540 -6237. 2006. 00383. x

Social Learning Theory ■ Proposes that new behaviors can be acquired by observing and imitating others. ■ Social learning theory has been used to explain the emergence and maintenance of deviant behavior. ■ “In this theoretical perspective, gender conceptions and roles are the product of a broad network of social influences” 1 1. Bandura, A. & Bussey, K. (1999) Social cognitive theory of gender development and differentiation, Psychol Rev, 106 (4): 676713.

Social Learning Theory ■ We can see this theory applied a lot on college campuses. ■ People’s views can often times mimic those in their households, but many students who move away from home to attend college, alter their beliefs after being surrounded by different viewpoints. ■ Marshall University is a prime example of this because several of its students grew up in rural Appalachia. Once they come to Marshall, which can be considered a more liberal university, they are exposed to new ways of thinking.

Labeling Theory ■ Like social learning theory, labeling theory can be used not only to explain why deviance occurs, but also how it is maintained. ■ When talking about those who commit crimes, like prostitution, very seldom are men labeled with derogatory terms. Women, on the other hand, are branded with expressions such as whore and slut.

Labeling Theory ■ When a certain crime is committed by both males and females, but the deviant label only attaches to one gender, it reinforces the notion that it is okay to punish groups differently even if they’ve committed the same act. ■ In order to decrease this gender disparity, an active effort needs to be made to diminish labels that apply only to one gender.

Hypotheses ■ Lack of education is the biggest contributor to gender disparity when it comes to deviant behavior. ■ Those who grew up in more urban areas are less likely to believe that women are punished more leniently than men for deviant acts.

METHODS

Methods (Quantitative): Survey ■ Participants included students taking the general education classes of Marshall University’s Department Sociology and Anthropology that was developed by the department’s Senior Seminar course. ■ Surveys were given to students in 3 different class settings during the Spring 2017 semester, and followed the following procedures – Students entered 15 classes on the Huntington campus, read the consent statement, passed out the forms, and collected the forms through a slit on the top of a box to ensure anonymity. (308 responses) – Three classes from the Teays Valley and the Charleston campuses were administered by their instructors. (37 responses) – An invitation to the online version, developed using Qualtrics, was emailed to students who took online versions of the courses during the same period. (11 Responses)

Methods (Qualitative): Interviews ■ The participants included students who are currently enrolled at Marshall University. ■ They were selected using snowball, or chain, sampling. ■ The same procedure was/will be followed in each of the 25 interviews. This procedure is as follows: – The interviewer presented the participants with a written copy of the consent form, and they were provided time to read it and ask questions before signing. – After the consent form was signed, participants were each asked a series of seven open ended questions, to which they were provided time to answer without interruption.

DATA

Survey Data ■ A scale was constructed from a serious of questions within the survey , and comprised of agreement with the following statements: 1) Men are more likely than women to commit a criminal offense. 2) Women are provided more leniency than men for deviant behaviors. 3) Women are punished more severely than men for deviant behaviors.

Survey Data ■ Gender: – Men were less likely to think women are punished more severely. – Likewise, men were more likely to think that women are provided more leniency. ■ Education: – People with higher GPAs were more likely to believe that women are punished more severely. – People who afford school because of scholarships believe women are punished more severely. – People who study less think men are more likely to commit crimes.

Survey Data ■ Political Ideologies: – Those who identify as liberals were more likely to say that women are punished more severely. – Contrarily, conservative others were more likely to believe that women are provided more leniency. ■ Enforcement of Gender Stereotypes in the Home: – People who were brought up in households that reinforced overall gender stereotypes, were more likely to agree that women are provided more leniency. – People who were brought up in households that specifically enforced the idea that men do the more tough and dangerous jobs were more likely to say that women are provided more leniency. – However, people who were brought up in households that specifically enforced the idea that women are caretakers, were more likely to say that women are punished more severely.

Interview Data ■ There were four questions in particular which provided the most useful data: – How are women treated differently than men by the legal system? – In what instances are men provided more leniency for their crimes? – In what instances are women provided more leniency for their crimes? – Specifically, for which crimes would you have different considerations if committed by women?

Interview Data ■ How are women treated differently than men by the legal system? – Men and women both agreed that women were provided with more leniency. ■ When asked to explain, a majority of the answers were alike. – Participants used examples of minor offenses, such as speeding tickets

Interview Data ■ In what instances are men provided more leniency for their crimes? – Participants each had difficulty answering this. ■ This supports that there is an overwhelming belief that men are punished more severely for their crimes

Interview Data ■ Specifically, for which crimes would you have different considerations if committed by women? – This question was also difficult to answer for participants, at first. So I provided them with a list of index and non index crimes as defined by the UCR. ■ ■ Index: Aggravated assault, forcible rape, murder, and robbery Non Index: simple assault, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, drug offenses, prostitution, and sex offenses – As expected, prostitution was the most frequent answer.

CONCLUSIONS

Conclusions ■ The data that was collected from the survey, strongly supports my hypothesis that education is a major contribution factor to gender disparity. ■ Based on the survey data, where a resident resides, in terms of rural or urban areas, has no significant effect on their beliefs when it comes to this subject. ■ Men who took the survey agreed with those who were interviewed that overall, women are provided more leniency. ■ It has proven to be true that, a criminal act is perceived more or less deviant based on the gender of the offender.