evaluation

• one strength is its effect on how the CJS treats women
• CJS explain


  the chilvalry thesis suggests that women commit more crime than the official statistics state, but are treated more leniently by the CJS, and treated with more sympathy and respect, so are less likely to be convicted.
• CJS example

  Anderson (1976) suggests that since the CJS is male-dominated, they hold a stereotypical view that women are helpless and naive, and need to be protected by men.
• CJS link and counterargument

  so, whilst this flaw in the CJS may increase the credibility of this explanation, there are criticisms of the chilvalry thesis.

  Heidenson proposes the double deviance theory, arguing that women are treated worse by the CJS because they are seen as doubly deviant.
• one weakness is that the gender socialisation explanation was devised in a different social time.
• relevance - example


  Parsons' explanations were developed in a time where there were expectations for the women to be the primary caregiver of the children, and for men to fulfill the role of the breadwinner - to conform to conventional gender stereotypes.
• relevance - explain


  so, although the explanation may have been relevant in the patriarchal society of the 1950's, in the modern day, where there is to be an expected equality between men and women, this theory loses its relevance.
• relevance - link


  this is a weakness as the value of this explanation of criminal behaviour is limited due to its weak temporal validity.
• one strength is that it has been utilised to address the harmful aspects of gender socialisation.
• applications - example


  the "Man-up" program was designed to support male prison inmates, to explore how the ideals of masculinity contribute to shaping their individual identities.
• applications - explain


  the programme uses active learning techniques to challenge some of the attitudes and negative outcomes that arise with men feeling the need to fulfill stereotypes.
• applications - link


  this is a strength as it fills an important defecit within current intervention provision.