heidensohn- control theory

• women- are controlled more, which leaves them with fewer opportunities to commit crime
• Frances Heidensohn

  • feminist
  • examines female conformity
  • the patriarchal society controls women more than men
  • it is harder for women to break the law
• Women are controlled in the home

  • through their gender role
  • expected to carry out the expressive role
  • which keeps them in the private sphere carrying out unpaid domestic duties.
• Financial dependance

  • men typically perform the breadwinner role in families
  • This controls women through keeping them financially dependent on their husbands.
• controlled by their romantic partners

  - they may be expected to look, dress, behave in a specific way to please them.
• Heidensohn uses

  • uses control theory as explanation of why women commit fewer crimes than men.
  • argues that patriarchal societies control women more than men, making it difficult for women to break the law
• Heidensohn

  3 areas that women experience a greater control compared to men

  • the home
  • the public
  • the workplace
• The HOME

  • women are heavily restricted to domestic roles, primarily focused on housework and childcare
  • Any challenge to these gender norms may result in male violence to reinforce patriarchal control
  • Men, as primary breadwinners, hold financial dominance over their wives
  • Daughters face stricter controls than sons, with more limitations on their freedom and a greater expectation to contribute to household tasks.
• The PUBLIC

  • women are controlled by the threat of male sexual violence and the fear of damaging their family's reputation.
  • The concept of separate spheres reinforces the belief that women should remain in the home
  • those who speak out in public are often ridiculed and told to return to their domestic roles
• The WORKPLACE

  •  women are controlled by male-dominated hierarchies and workers organisations
  • They are subject to intimidation by various forms of sexual harassment.
• Criticisms of Heidensohn

  • making generalisations that do not apply to all women
  • for not always supporting her claims with strong research-based evidence
• Why might her study be outdated

  Women today have more opportunities to commit white collar crime at work
• Why is it difficult to make generalisations about the social control of women?

  • Different types of women may experience different levels of control
  • e.g. ethnicity, disability, class, religion, age, sexuality may affect how much control a women experiences in society