The Relationship Between Gender & Crime (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Revision Note

Official statistics on gender & crime

• Official statistics suggest that females are less likely to offend and re-offend than males

• Females are less likely to commit indictable offences

• According to the Ministry of Justice (2022):

  • as of 30 June 2022, 4% of the prison population was female and this proportion has remained stable for the last 5 years

  • of all female offenders cautioned or convicted in 2021, 35% were first-time offenders (vs 22% of males)

  • 17% of female offenders were given a suspended sentence in 2021 (vs 7% of males)

  • 56% of female offenders were sentenced to immediate custody (vs 75% of males)

  • in 2021, only 13% of female offenders were sentenced for indictable offences (vs 22% of males)

Explanations for women's lesser involvement in crime

• There are several ways sociologists have explained women's lesser involvement in crime

Gender socialisation

• Typically:

  • girls are socialised to be caring, passive, and obedient

  • boys are encouraged to be aggressive, risk-taking, and dominant

• The differences in socialisation between girls and boys could explain the increased likelihood of boys offending

• Feminists argue that these gender norms limit female deviance

Social control

• Frances Heidensohn (1985) argues that women are more controlled by social expectations

  • At home: domestic responsibilities and childcare restrict movement and opportunity

  • In public: fear of sexual harassment discourages deviance

  • At work: women are closely supervised and less likely to commit white-collar crimes

The chivalry thesis

• Otto Pollak (1950) argued that male police officers, judges, and juries are chivalrous towards women

• Women are seen as less dangerous and more in need of protection than punishment

• This explains why women often receive lighter sentences

• However, critics say this idea is outdated — modern evidence shows women are not always treated leniently

Male socialisation and masculinity

• Men are thought to commit more crime partly because of masculine socialisation, which encourages traits such as toughness, competitiveness and aggression

• Connell’s (1995) concept of hegemonic masculinity refers to the dominant form of masculinity in society, which values strength, authority and control

  • Men are socially encouraged to display power and dominance, sometimes through risk-taking or criminal behaviour, to gain status and respect

  • Connell argues that some men commit crimes such as violence or financial fraud to prove their masculinity and maintain power within a patriarchal society

• “Lad culture” among some groups of men (and increasingly women) also normalises risky behaviour, aggression, and rule-breaking, reinforcing links between masculinity and deviance

Differences in opportunity

• Women’s domestic roles and lack of access to power limit their opportunities for crime

  • The glass ceiling and workplace discrimination mean women have less access to white-collar or corporate crimes

• However, as women gain equality, their opportunities for occupational crime may increase slightly

Explanations for women's increasing involvement in crime

• Recent statistics show that the gender gap in crime rates is narrowing

  • In the UK, more women are being arrested for violent crimes, and there are more female offenders who are over 21 years of age

The changing position of women

• As women have gained more equality and independence, they also have more opportunities to commit crime

  • Adler (1975) argued that women’s liberation has led to an increase in female offending, particularly in crimes once dominated by men

• More women now work in professional or managerial jobs, giving access to occupational crimes such as fraud or theft from employers

• However, critics note that most female offenders are still working class and commit petty crimes like shoplifting, not white-collar crimes

Poverty and marginalisation

• Many women still face poverty, unemployment, and financial hardship, which can lead them to commit crime out of necessity

• Pat Carlen (1997) found that working-class women often commit crimes such as theft or benefit fraud when they are denied the rewards of the “gender deal”

  • When women lose faith in this deal, crime can become a rational response to limited opportunities

  • This view links social class and gender, showing that economic inequality remains a key factor in female offending

Changing attitudes to gender and crime

• Some sociologists argue that women are not actually committing more crimes, but are now more likely to be arrested and charged

• The decline of the chivalry effect means the police and courts no longer automatically treat women more leniently

• Women who break the law and traditional gender norms (for example women involved in violence or child cruelty) are often treated more harshly

  • This is known as the double deviance thesis

• The media has also played a role in demonising female offenders, such as Myra Hindley and Rose West, portraying them as “monstrous” for breaking both legal and feminine expectations

Differences among women

• Martyn Denscombe (2001) observed the rise of “ladette culture”, where some young women adopt traditionally male behaviours, such as binge drinking, swearing and aggression

• This shift has been linked to an increase in female violent offences and public disorder

• However, while the behaviour of young women has changed, men still commit the vast majority of crimes, especially violent and serious offences

Evaluation of the relationship between gender & crime

Strengths

• Feminist theories draw attention to the ways in which gender inequality and patriarchy shape both offending and punishment

• Studies such as Carlen (1997) and Heidensohn (1985) give insight into how class, gender, and control interact to limit women’s opportunities for crime

Criticisms

• Adler’s liberation thesis exaggerates the link between women’s liberation and the increase in female offending, as it ignores the fact that most female crimes are minor

• Many explanations overlook differences between women, such as class, ethnicity, and life experiences, leading to generalisations