Crime and gender

• What percentage of the prison population in England and Wales were women in 2010-11 or 2011-12?

  5%
• What percentage of those arrested in England and Wales were women in 2010-11 or 2011-12?

  16%
• What percentage of defendants in court were women in England and Wales during 2010-11 or 2011-12?

  24%
• How are women treated differently than men when found guilty of a crime?

  Women are more likely to be fined and less likely to be sent to prison.
• What is generally true about the sentences given to women compared to men?

  Women are generally given shorter sentences than men.
• What types of crimes are men more likely to be convicted of compared to women?

  Men are suspected, charged, and convicted of almost all types of crime more than women.
• What social factors do the statistics on crime and gender take into account?

  Age, class, ethnicity, and region.
• What do Miller (1962) and Merton (1968) argue about young men's culture and crime?


  They argue that the culture and lifestyles of young men encourage and lead to crime.
• According to Ian Marsh (1986), why do men commit more crime?

  Because they have more opportunities to do so.
• Why do women have fewer opportunities to commit white-collar crime?


  Because these crimes are often committed by men in power positions.
• What does Marsh suggest about female opportunities to commit crime?

  Where females have similar opportunities to males, they are seen as likely to break laws.
• What is the chivalry thesis proposed by sociologists like Pollak (1958)?

  It argues that men are socialized to be protective of women, leading to leniency in the criminal justice system.
• How does the chivalry thesis affect the perception of female crime in official statistics?

  It can lead to an underestimation of female crime.
• What did Campbell (1981) find in her self-report survey regarding female crime?

  She found more female crime than indicated by official statistics.
• What is one criticism of the chivalry thesis?

  Some sociologists argue that women's crimes are generally less serious, which is why they are punished less harshly.
• According to sex-role theory, how are girls and boys socialized differently?

  Girls are brought up to be passive and conformist, while boys are brought up to be tough and 'manly.'
• What does Frances Heidensohn (1996) argue about the socialization of girls and boys?

  Girls are socialized into not being criminal, while boys are socialized to see criminal activity as acceptable.
• How does society view criminal behavior in women compared to men?

  Criminal behavior in women is seen as highly deviant and illegal.
• What did Pat Carlen (1997) find regarding how courts treat women?

  The courts treated women differently depending on how they conformed to gender roles, especially regarding children.
• What does Abbean Wallace (1990) suggest about young women's opportunities for crime?


  Young women are closely watched and given less freedom outside the home, reducing their opportunities for crime.
• How does the patriarchal society affect women's opportunities to commit crime, according to Hon (2002)?

  Women have less opportunity to commit certain types of crime due to a patriarchal, male-dominated society.
• What is the liberation thesis proposed by Freda Adler (1975)?


  It suggests that as women become more liberated, their crime rates increase, including in traditionally male-dominated crimes.
• What evidence supports Adler's liberation thesis?

  There has been a rise in the female crime rate and an increase in violent girl gangs.
• What criticism exists regarding the timing of the rise in female crime rates in relation to women's liberation?


  The rise in female crime actually began before many women became liberated.
• What did Carlen (1988) find about working-class women with criminal records?

  Most of the women had made a rational choice to turn to crime due to poverty and feeling marginalized by society.
• What are the main reasons women are less likely to commit crimes compared to men?

  • Socialization into passive and conformist roles
  • Fewer opportunities for white-collar crime
  • Chivalry thesis leading to leniency in the justice system
  • Gender roles and expectations
• What are the criticisms of the chivalry thesis and liberation thesis?

  Criticisms of the chivalry thesis:

  • Women's crimes are often less serious.
  • Women show remorse, leading to leniency.

  
  

  Criticisms of the liberation thesis:

  • Rise in female crime began before liberation.
  • Working-class women benefit least from liberation yet commit more crimes.
• How do societal expectations influence female criminal behavior?

  • Women are socialized to view crime as deviant.
  • Conformity to gender roles affects treatment in courts.
  • Opportunities for crime are limited by societal control.
• What are the implications of the liberation thesis on female crime rates?

  • Increased liberation leads to higher crime rates.
  • Women may commit crimes previously dominated by men.
  • Changing female identities may contribute to rising crime.