Gender, Crime, and Justice Module 2 Lecture

• criminology: study of crime and criminal behavior (why people commit crimes)
• criminal justice: focus on the justice system and how it functions
• criminology first arose in the mid-18th century
  • social philosophers began to consider crime and concepts of law
  • first american textbook on criminology written in 1920
• theories of crime
  • theories help guide our understanding of crime
  • often created based on observations, then tested and revised / discredited
  • no one theory explains all criminal behavior
  • gender is the strongest predictor of crime, yet most theories don’t consider it
• popular criminological theories (theories of crime)
  • theories of crime: theories that seek to explain why certain people commit crimes
  • strain theory: an individual will turn to crime when they’re unable to achieve the goals of society
  • factors: financial, job, and relationship dissatisfaction
  • social learning theory: individuals learn from those around them and base their morals and activities on what they see others doing
  • factors: peer and family relationships
  • social disorganization theory: crime occurs in communities that experience breakdown in social morals and opportunities
  • population, mean income, type of community (urban / rural / suburban), transient population
• gendered theories (theories of victimization)
  • theories of victimization: theories that seek to explain why certain people fall victim to crime
  • routine activities theory: crime occurs when three elements occur
  • a motivated offender
  • a suitable target
  • the absence of a capable guardian
  • explains both criminal behavior and victimization (an individual who keeps the same routine every day is more likely to be a victim of a crime)
  • can help explain why women are more likely the victim of certain crimes compared to men
  • lifestyle theory: those engaged in risky lifestyle choices are at an increased risk of victimization
  • ex: criminal activities, mental health status, substance use, nonviolent deviant behaviors
  • likelihood of victimization per behavior varies based on gender
  • gender, combined with certain activities or life choices, can affect the likelihood of victimization
  • feminist pathways perspective: shows how life events and traumas of women / girls can effect their likelihood of engaging in crime
  • prior victimization / past traumas increase the likelihood of criminal involvement for women

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