Explaining Crime » Explaining Crime: Gender

Why is crime linked to gender?

Earlier in this section you saw the broad patterns in crime figures. In most societies, men and boys make up the large majority of recorded offenders, especially for violent crime. Women and girls are recorded much less often, and the crimes they are recorded for are more often things like shoplifting.

Sociologists ask two questions. Do men really commit more crime? Or do the figures hide some of what women do? This lesson looks at the explanations. As always, they are patterns in recorded crime. Most men and most women never commit a serious crime.

Key terms:

• Chivalry thesis: the idea that women are treated more leniently than men by the criminal justice system, so fewer of them are caught, prosecuted and punished. It is linked to the sociologist Otto Pollak.
• Culture of masculinity: a set of shared ideas about what it means to be a "real man", such as being tough, dominant and willing to take risks or fight.
• Misogyny: hatred of, or contempt for, women and girls.

The chivalry thesis

Pollak argued that the criminal justice system treats women with a kind of "chivalry". Many police officers, judges and juries, he said, are reluctant to arrest, charge or convict a woman, and more likely to let her off or give a lighter sentence. He also argued that a lot of female crime goes unnoticed or unreported, so that women commit more crime than the figures show.

If he is right, the gender gap in the statistics is partly an illusion. Women are less visible in the figures, not necessarily less criminal.

Culture of masculinity

Many sociologists argue that the main reason men offend more is not biology but learned ideas about being male. In a culture of masculinity, boys may be rewarded for being tough, taking risks and refusing to back down. They may feel they must defend their reputation and not show weakness.

This can make aggression, fighting and rule-breaking seem normal, or even a way of gaining respect from other boys. It helps to explain why men are over-represented, particularly for violent crime.

Socialisation and social control

Remember, socialisation is learning the norms and values of society, and social control is the ways behaviour is kept in line. Both can work differently for each gender.

• Socialisation: girls are often taught to be quiet, caring and obedient, while boys are often allowed to be noisy, active and independent. A girl who is taught to avoid risk is less likely to learn that crime is an option.
• Social control: girls and women are often controlled more closely. Parents may supervise daughters more strictly, restrict where they go and set earlier curfews. Women may also be held back by fear of being judged or harmed in public places. Boys usually have more freedom, so more chances to offend and less chance of being watched.

Control theory says that people with strong ties and supervision are less likely to offend. If girls are watched more closely, this could be one reason fewer are recorded for crime.

Misogyny

Misogyny is hatred of women, and it can lead to crime against women. Harassment, domestic abuse and sexual violence are examples. In societies where women are seen as less important than men, these acts may be excused or ignored, and victims may be blamed instead of offenders.

Misogyny can be spread through attitudes in a family, in a peer group or online. Some sociologists link it to the culture of masculinity: if "being a man" means being in charge, some men may use violence to control women.

Stereotyping

Remember, a stereotype is a fixed, oversimplified idea about a group. Stereotypes about gender can affect who is suspected and punished.

• If young men are stereotyped as dangerous, the police may suspect and stop them more, so more offences are recorded for men.
• If women are stereotyped as gentle and "not the criminal type", a woman may be less likely to be suspected or arrested. This links back to the chivalry thesis.

Stereotypes can also work the other way. A woman who is violent may be seen as "unnatural", and may be judged more harshly in the media.

Gang culture

Remember, gang culture is the shared rules and values of a close group of young people who see themselves as a gang, with their own status and loyalty. In many societies most gang members are male. Combined with a culture of masculinity, a gang can reward toughness, loyalty and willingness to use violence. Young men may join to gain status, protection and a sense of belonging. Girls are less often members, and when they are, they may be in a supporting role, though this varies between places.

Lack of opportunity

Remember, lack of opportunity means being blocked from legal ways to succeed, such as good jobs. This applies to both genders, but in different ways.

• For men: when jobs that men traditionally did decline, some may feel they have lost their role as breadwinner and may turn to crime for money or status.
• For women: women are more likely to be poorly paid or to raise children alone. Some offences, such as shoplifting, may come from need. Sociologists also note that women have fewer chances to commit certain crimes, such as those that depend on holding senior positions, because those positions are mostly held by men.

Exam-style question

(a) Define the term culture of masculinity. [2 marks]

(b) Explain three reasons why men appear in crime statistics more often than women. [6 marks]