gender differences in criminality

• 84% of people arrested by police in 2015 were male
• Females are more likely to be issued with a fine in magistrates court
• Females are more likely to be victims of domestic violence crimes than males
• TBi

  A form of acquired brain injury which occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain, can cause disorders of the executive system e.g. poor planning and decision making and impulse control
• Males are more likely to get a TBI due to high levels of testosterone, they are more likely to take part in manual labour and are encouraged to play in masculine sports
• Real life evidence

  • Phineas gage damaged his PFC when having a metal rod through his brain and then started to behave aggressively and inappropriately in social situations
• There are individual differences in brain injury as not everyone has the same severity of TBI, this is measured on the Glasgow coma scale
• XYY syndrome

  Extra chromosome at birth, there is evidence of lower intelligence, behaviour problems, emotional difficulties, tend to commit crime, leads to stereotyping as criminals due to superficial characteristics of XYY e.g. acne, extremely tall and long arm span
• Only men can have XYY syndrome as it is caused by an extra Y chromosome which can only be in males
• There are implications to this statement for example there may be prejudice and discrimination could be caused and there are implications for treatment as it says that those with XYY shouldn't be in society
• Social learning theory

  There are 4 stages: attention, retention, motor reproduction and motivation, learn from role models who are most effective when the same age or older, higher socioeconomic status and same gender
• Girls will have different role models to boys for example boys will have more aggressive or criminal role models e.g. due to the media
• Amygdala

  Damage to the amygdala can cause lack of fear to consequence of crime making recidivism high, the amygdala regulates expression of emotion and emotional memory, if overstimulated it can lead to aggression
• Women have an enhanced left amygdala so there is more thought than action whereas men have an enhanced right amygdala which is linked to action
• This explanation may be used as a scapegoat for criminals in court and if you don't take responsibility then it may affect rehabilitation