2 - Why women commit less crime

• Lombroso (1895) 


  Women seen as more passive and the mother role make them less aggressive
• Pollack (1950) 


  Women are more devious than men. They are better liars, conceal crime better and focus on certain types of crime that allows them to not get caught.
• Sex Role Theory (functionalist)


  Women are less likely to commit crime than men, due to socialisation as girls are socialised differently to boys with different values that don't lead to crime.
• Pat Carlen (1989) 


  Found childrearing is usually carried out by mothers therefore women have a clear role model that emphasises support and caring which men don’t have
• Women are less likely to commit crime due to social control as women are under closer levels of supervision and lack the opportunity to commit crime as the patriarchal nature of society pushes women into conformity to a narrow range of roles
• Women do not have the characteristics of a criminal whereas men are encouraged to be tough and aggressive
• Parsons (1955) traces this back to differences in gender roles
• Parsons believe males seek to distance themselves of feminine models of behaviour so engage in compulsory masculinity