GENDER, CRIME AND JUSTICE – GENDER, CRIME AND JUSTICE – GENDER, CRIME AND JUSTICE – females and violent
EXPLAINING FEMALE CRIME EXPLAINING FEMALE CRIME crime
HEIDENSOHN: PATRIARCHAL CONTROL CARLEN – CLASS & GENDER DEALS CRIMINALISATION OF FEMALES
(feminist approach) - Used interviews, studied 39 (15 - 46- NET WIDENING – Steffensmeier and Schwartz conclude
- Heidensohn argues women behaviour year-old w/c) women who had been that in reality there has been no change in women’s
is conformist due to patriarchal society convicted of a range of crimes, 20 were involvement in violent crime – argue increase in arrests is
imposing greater control over women in prison at time of interviews a result of CJS ‘widening the net’ – prosecuting females
and reducing their opportunities to - Human acts are rational, controlled by for less serious forms of violence than previously.
offend rewards when conforming to social MORAL PANIC ABOUT GIRLS
CONTROL AT HOME norms, turn to crime if they believe the - BURMAN point to media presenting young women
- Women’s domestic role with constant rewards are greater than the risk as ‘drunk and disorderly, out of control, looking for
housework and childcare, reduces - CLASS DEAL = women who work will fights’
opportunity to offend and women who be offered material rewards, with decent - Self – fulfilling prophecy and an amplification spiral
reject this role may find partners standard of living and leisure activities
impose it by force – domestic violence - GENDER DEAL = patriarchal ideology GENDER, CRIME AND JUSTICE – females and violent
(DOBASH AND DOBASH many promises women material and emotional crime
violent attacks from male is because rewards from family life by conforming to CRIMINALISATION OF FEMALES
dissatisfied with wife’s performance of the norms of a conventional domestic Increase in female arrest & violent crime – DODD; female
domestic duties) gender role police arrests rose by an average of 17% each year
- Daughters subject to patriarchy – less - If these rewards are not available, crime between 2000-2008
likely to go out late, bedroom culture of becomes more likely NET WIDENING – Steffensmeier and Schwartz conclude
socialising at home - CARLEN – argues this was case with that in reality there has been no change in women’s
CONTROL IN PUBLIC women in her study: in terms of class involvement in violent crime – argue increase in arrests is
- Women controlled by fear of male deal women had failed to find a a result of CJS ‘widening the net’ – prosecuting females
violence against them – ISLINGTON legitimate way of earning and left them for less serious forms of violence than previously.
CRIME SURVEY found 54% of feeling powerless and oppressed MORAL PANIC ABOUT GIRLS
women avoided going out after dark, o 32 of them had always been in - BURMAN point to media presenting young women
against 14% of men poverty as ‘drunk and disorderly, out of control, looking for
- Sensationalist distorted media - In terms of gender deal, most women fights’
reporting of rapes adds to women’s didn’t have this opportunity - Self – fulfilling prophecy and an amplification spiral
fear o Some physically or sexually
- Females controlled in public by fear of abused by fathers
being defined as not respectable, don’t o Over 50% spent time in care GENDER, CRIME AND JUSTICE
want to gain a ‘reputation’, afraid of CARLEN concludes being criminalised and GENDER AND VICTIMISATION
being LABELLED ‘psycho’ (lee – jailed made crime more attractive – nothing to - HOMICIDE VICTIMS = 70% are male. Female
labelling begins in school) lose, everything to gain victims more likely to know their killer and in 60%
CONTROL AT WORK of these cases, was a partner or ex.
- Women behaviour at work controlled Underplays importance of free will and - VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE = fewer women than men
by male supervisors, sexual choice in offending – says determined are victims of violence (2% vs 4%)
harassment widespread and helps by external forces such as patriarchal o More women victims of intimate violence
keep women ‘in their place’ control during their adulthood (31% vs 18%)
- Women’s subordinate position Sample may be unrepresentative o Only 8% of women who had experienced
reduces opportunity to engage in serious sexual assault reported it to the
major criminal activity at work police