1.3 Patterns of crime: Gender

What percentage of prisoners are male? (MoJ 2017)

95%

What percentage of young people who are convicted are male? (MoJ 2018)

83%

What percentage of men receive immediate custodial sentencing?

10%, 8% more than women

What percentage of men go on to re-offend within 2 years? (MoJ 2017)

26%

What is the peak age of offending for males?

18

What percentage of young offenders come from lone-parent families?

70%

What is the performance gap at GCSE?

Girls preform 10% better

Give 3 examples of crimes more likely to be committed by females

- Theft
- Truancy
- Prostitution

What percentage of police officers are male?

71%

82% of fines are given to which gender?

Female

What is the average prison sentence for males? (MoJ 2018)

19 months

What is the average prison sentence for females? (MoJ 2018)

11 months

Explain Pollak’s Chivalry theory

* The CJS is dominated by men and they have a more benevolent, protective and patriarchal view of women and in turn see them as less likely to commit crime
* They give speeding as an example whereby women are more likely to be given a warning
* Box 1981 found evidence of this finding that women were more likely to be treated kindly

Explain Heidensohn’s theory of patriarchal control

* In all areas of women’s lives they live in fear of men so are constricted and don’t commit crime


* She talks about the domestic, public and employment spheres + socialisation
* In both the domestic and public areas they fear the reaction of men and possible violence
* In employment they are less likely to be in high positions and therefore don’t have the opportunity to commit crime

Explain Charles Murray’s cycle of deviance

* Father’s don’t take responsibility for their child and the mother is left to raise the child alone
* The mother is likely to be benefit dependant as would most of the community
* This culture teaches the boy to be feckless, lazy and dependant
* In turn they don’t aim to work hard and become a valued member of society, this leads some to commit crime as they don’t feel they are responsible for the effects it may have on society

Explain Lemert’s Primary and Secondary deviance

* When men commit a crime they are more likely to be labelled negatively and more harshly by police
* As a result they may receive a criminal record this leads to marginalisation
* In turn the self-fulfilling prophecy happens and the man becomes more deviant and criminal as they are deprived of other options
* Becker notes that instances of this can lead to extremes like the development of criminal careers