Gender

• gender what does the CJS tell us about gender

  • cjs is run by men but is slightly improving
  • women are frequently victims of crime rather that perpetrators
  • most female criminal activity is trivial and with little reoffending
• gender hegemonic masculinity

  Messerschmitt

  hegemonic masculinity - crimes such as murder , rape - chime with the idea where society vales toughness and aggression
• gender sex role theory

  Parsons

  argues women are conditioned to the expressive role of looking after their family - crimes such as shoplifting, welfare crime
• gender female crime neglected

  smart

  • women tend to commit fewer crimes than men - women behaviour less of a problem so it receives less attention
  • sociology tend to be dominated by men
• gender why are women committing more crime

  • more women are working
  • given more opportunity to commit white collar and corporate crime
  • women are mimicking the behaviour of the men around them
• gender chivalry thesis

  Pollak

  the view that the difference in criminal statistics is a result of women's treatment within the cjs

  Campbell conducted a self report study and found female suspects are more likely to be cautioned rather than prosecuted
• gender why does chivalry thesis occur

  Pollak

  argue men are socialised to value paternalism and to act in a protective way towards women
• gender biological differences for differences in statistics

  Lombroso - 1895

  compared anatomical features of criminals - male criminals could be identified by physical abnormalities and as few women had these features therefore they were not born criminals

  however

  Moir and Jessel explain some violent crime can be linked to PMS
• gender psychological causes

  Eysenck 1970

  extroverts are more likely to commit crime

  found unmarried mothers are a sign ` person is more bluely to be promiscuous therefore deviant - extraverted and had higher degrees of emotionality than married mothers
• gender criticism of sex role theory

  Walklate

  criticises for its biological assumptions
• gender female liberation theory

  Adler

  traditionally women have been restricted to their domestic sphere - limiting both their legitimate and illegitimate opportunities

  changing social attitudes gave women more independence providing them more opportunities to become involved in crime as the empowerment increased self confidence to challenge sexist assumptions
• gender credibility of Adler

  traditionally female crime had been restricted to shoplifting and prosecution

  increase in percentage of crime - 1 in 7 crimes in 1950s to 1 in 4 crimes now

  this has led to :

  moral panics about girls in gang culture and the media creation of the ladette ( Jackson )
• gender public sphere

  Heidensohn

  women commit so few crimes because of the way they are ideologically controlled

  • control of women in public - often choose not to go in public due to fear of becoming a victim
  • control of women at work - controlled by male superiors
• gender private sphere

  Heidensohn

  ideologically controlled in private

  • domestically controlled - long hours on child and house duties
  • men also use financial muscle to control female behaviour - not given money - nest egg
• gender edgework

  Lyng

  increasing amount of thrill seeking occurring amongst women - creation of the ladettes ( Jackson ) - traditional male behaviours such as drinking, swearing and promiscuity

  school failure - challenging trad notion of femininity as passive
• gender normative masculinity

  Messerschmitt

  this is highly valued by most men - masculinity is something males have to constantly work at

  men who have no power at work may express masculinity through the control of women in a domestic setting - DV

  rape and pimping may be used to express control