The Feminist Criminology- Lecture Slides, Slides of Criminology

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Feminist Criminology

SOC 112

1. Feminist theory - a spectrum of arguments - of causes / reasons for - related primarily to gender - inequitable treatment of women a. Socially structured categories of gender - shape relations between men / women - in the workplace - organized family life - unofficial norms

(3) Purpose of feminist theory?

• provide insight / female perspective
• social inequality / crime

c. Feminine Mystique (1963) – Betty Friedan

• urged to reevaluate traditional roles
• demand opportunities equal to men 2. Liberal feminists
• argue for more equitable treatment
• within social institutions

a. Recognition of feminist perspective

• in dealing with social issues
• criminal justice system b. Governmental intervention is necessary
• create opportunities
• female empowerment
• female equity (1) Colleges
• certain percent of female applicants

• basis for oppression by men

a. The Dialectic of Sex (1970) – Shulasmith

Firestone

• traces way inequality perpetuated
• institutions of marriage / family b. Advances in birth control
• abortion / safe childbirth techniques
• material means for women’s freedom

c. Most men, in radical feminist view

• strive to maintain dominance 4. Marxist feminists
• draw upon Marxist theories
• to explain perpetuation of gender inequality a. Women: subordinated within the family
• undertake tasks of childbearing
• child rearing

a. Consider a career their right

• if they should choose one (1) Demand / get equal pay / equal work (2) Acquire positions of power in business
  • as well as government (3) See themselves as equals
  • inside / outside the home

b. Basic concept of feminist ideology

• equality
• made great strides towards that end (1) Changes seen:
  • criminal justice system
  • military
  • government
  • schools (undergraduate / graduate) 6. Feminist criminology

(1) Feminist theorist concerns

• how gender shapes male / female treatment
• in juvenile / criminal justice systems
• both as offenders / workers (2) Also address:
• violence against women
• rape / intimate partner violence / sexual harassment

b. Feminist criminology believes:

• either ignored women/gender
• theories devised over years
• male crime applied to women (1) When theories appear to be generalized
• “ apply one theory to all”
• don’t look at gender (a) Result in being a victim of a crime (b) Result in committing a crime

(1) Personal crimes of violence

• involving single offender
• att. murder / rape / robbery / assault
• 83% of victims = offender as male (a) Property crime
  • 82% = male (2) 1963: females = 15.3% of arrests
• today: 30.5%
• female arrest rate much lower

• rate of increase much faster (3) Self-Report Surveys
• patterns / causes: male-female crimes
• becoming more alike (4) Social / economic roles of women
• changed in the legitimate world
• participation in crime also changed
• temptations / challenges / stress
• have been subjected to

• in a position of trust
• in control of funds (c) Get in bar fight
• need to go to a bar (d) Inside trader on Wall Street
• need to be a stock broker b. Feminist criminologists agree
• crimes women commit

• closely associated with
  • socioeconomic position in society (1) Association between gender and crime
• recognized area of concern
• growing body of research
• deal with contemporary criminological issues 8. Social theories
• utilized to explain male criminality