beliefs in society

What is the malestream?

Sociology that focuses on male experiences and ignores women

What is the chivalry thesis?

The idea that women are treated more leniently than men by the criminal justice system

Who proposed the chivalry thesis?

Pollak (1950)

What is the dark figure of crime?

Crime that is unreported or undetected and not included in official statistics

What does patriarchy mean?

A system where men dominate women socially economically and politically

What is hegemonic masculinity?

The dominant form of masculinity based on power aggression and control

What is gender role socialisation?

The process by which individuals learn expected gender behaviour

What is the gender deal?

The promise of material and emotional rewards from family life for women who conform

What is the class deal?

The promise of material rewards through work and social mobility

What is the liberation thesis?

The idea that female crime increases as women become more liberated

What is bodily capital?

Using the body strength appearance or violence as a resource for status or income

What percentage of crime is committed by men?

Around 80 percent of crime is committed by men

What percentage of the prison population is female?

Around 4 percent of prisoners are women

What criticism is made of official crime statistics?

They are socially constructed and affected by the dark figure of crime

Why might female crime be under recorded?

Female crime is less visible and women are treated more leniently

Give one piece of evidence supporting the chivalry thesis

Women are more likely to receive fines bail or community sentences

Give one study that challenges the chivalry thesis

Farrington and Morris (1983) found no leniency for comparable crimes

What does Heidensohn argue about female offenders?

Women are punished more harshly if they break gender norms and are seen as doubly deviant

What does Carlen argue about female sentencing?

Women judged as bad mothers are more likely to receive prison sentences

What is Smart’s view of the criminal justice system?

It is patriarchal and often blames female victims especially in rape cases

What is Walklate’s argument about rape trials?

Women must prove respectability to be believed

What does Oakley argue about gender socialisation?

Girls are socialised to be passive while boys are socialised to be aggressive

What is Parsons’ explanation for male crime?

Boys develop compensatory masculinity involving aggression and deviance

What criticism does Walklate make of sex role theory?

It is biologically deterministic and outdated

What is patriarchal control according to Heidensohn?

Women are more controlled at home in public and at work

How does patriarchy limit women’s crime opportunities?

Domestic roles fear of violence and workplace inequality restrict opportunities

Who studied class and gender deals?

Carlen (1988)

Why do women turn to crime according to Carlen?

When class and gender deals fail and crime becomes rational

What causes failure of the gender deal?

Abuse time in care and oppressive family life

What causes failure of the class deal?

Poverty unemployment and benefit humiliation

Who proposed the liberation thesis?

Adler (1975)

Give one criticism of the liberation thesis

Most female offenders are working class not middle class

Why have female violence statistics increased?

Net widening and zero tolerance policing

What does Chesney-Lind argue about female violence?

Mandatory arrest policies inflate female violence statistics

What does Jock Young mean by defining deviance up?

Criminalising minor behaviour to widen the net

What is Messerschmidt’s view on male crime?

Crime is a resource used to accomplish masculinity

What is hegemonic masculinity defined by?

Paid work control of women aggression and heterosexuality

How do working class men accomplish masculinity?

Through oppositional behaviour and street crime

What criticism is made of Messerschmidt?

Not all men commit crime and masculinity is overused

Who studied postmodern masculinity and crime?

Winlow (2001)

What is the night time economy?

Pubs clubs and bars that create new criminal opportunities

How are men more likely to be homicide victims?

Men account for around 70 percent of homicide victims

Who are women most likely to be victimised by?

Partners or ex partners rather than strangers

Why is female victimisation under reported?

Fear lack of trust in police and repeat victimisation