A2 Sociology: Crime and Deviance: Gender, Crime and Justice
Gender patterns in crime:
Heidensohn and Silvestri (2012) observe gender differences are the most significant feature of
recorded crime.
Official statistics show that:
4/5 convicted offenders in England and Wales are male.
By 40, 9% of females have a criminal conviction, as against 32% or males.
A higher proportion of female than male offenders are convicted of property offences
(except for burglary).
A higher proportion of male than female offenders are convicted of violence or sexual
offences.
Males are more likely to be repeat offenders or to commit more serious crimes (15x more
likely to be convicted of homicide)
Some sociologists and criminologists argue that the statistics underestimate the amount of female as
against male offending.
Female crimes are less likely to be reported typically. For example, shoplifting is less likely to be
noticed or reported than the violent or sexual crimes more often committed by men. Women are
less likely to be prosecuted and are more likely to be let off lightly.
Chivalry Thesis
Its argues that as most criminal justice agents are men, and men are socialised to act in a ‘chivalrous’
way towards women.
Pollak (1950): Men have a protective attitude towards women, and that ‘men hate to accuse women
and thus send them to their punishment’
Graham and Bowling (1995) found that although males (14-25 year olds) are more likely to offend
the difference was smaller than that recorded in the official statistics. They found males were 2.33x
more likely to admit to having committed an offence in the previous 12 months, whereas in official
statistics men are 4x more likely.
Flood-Page et al (2000) found that while only 1/11 female self-reported offenders had been
cautioned or prosecuted, the figure for males was over 1/7 self-reported offenders.
Official Court statistics appear to give some support to the chivalry thesis:
Females are more likely than males to be released on bail.
Females are more likely than males to receive a fine or a community sentence.
Less likely to be sent to prison, and on average receive shorter prison sentences.
Only 1/9 female offenders receive a prison sentence for shoplifting, compared to 1/5 men.
Evidence against the Chivalry Thesis:
Farrington and Morris (1983): Women were not sentenced more leniently (study of 408 offences of
theft)
Box (1981): British and American self report studies show that women who commit serious offences
are not treated more favourably than men.
Gender patterns in crime:
Heidensohn and Silvestri (2012) observe gender differences are the most significant feature of
recorded crime.
Official statistics show that:
4/5 convicted offenders in England and Wales are male.
By 40, 9% of females have a criminal conviction, as against 32% or males.
A higher proportion of female than male offenders are convicted of property offences
(except for burglary).
A higher proportion of male than female offenders are convicted of violence or sexual
offences.
Males are more likely to be repeat offenders or to commit more serious crimes (15x more
likely to be convicted of homicide)
Some sociologists and criminologists argue that the statistics underestimate the amount of female as
against male offending.
Female crimes are less likely to be reported typically. For example, shoplifting is less likely to be
noticed or reported than the violent or sexual crimes more often committed by men. Women are
less likely to be prosecuted and are more likely to be let off lightly.
Chivalry Thesis
Its argues that as most criminal justice agents are men, and men are socialised to act in a ‘chivalrous’
way towards women.
Pollak (1950): Men have a protective attitude towards women, and that ‘men hate to accuse women
and thus send them to their punishment’
Graham and Bowling (1995) found that although males (14-25 year olds) are more likely to offend
the difference was smaller than that recorded in the official statistics. They found males were 2.33x
more likely to admit to having committed an offence in the previous 12 months, whereas in official
statistics men are 4x more likely.
Flood-Page et al (2000) found that while only 1/11 female self-reported offenders had been
cautioned or prosecuted, the figure for males was over 1/7 self-reported offenders.
Official Court statistics appear to give some support to the chivalry thesis:
Females are more likely than males to be released on bail.
Females are more likely than males to receive a fine or a community sentence.
Less likely to be sent to prison, and on average receive shorter prison sentences.
Only 1/9 female offenders receive a prison sentence for shoplifting, compared to 1/5 men.
Evidence against the Chivalry Thesis:
Farrington and Morris (1983): Women were not sentenced more leniently (study of 408 offences of
theft)
Box (1981): British and American self report studies show that women who commit serious offences
are not treated more favourably than men.
