SOCI 4432 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Moral Development, Asteroid Family, Social Control
Document Summary
The gender gap in criminality is closing for the total number of index crimes, though violent crimes are still predominantly committed by male offenders. Similarities between men and women offenders: low socio economic status, disproportionate representation of minorities. Differences between men and women offenders: women commit less crimes directly against people/ violent crimes; women tend to work alone; women need more provocation to use violence, women are more likely to have been victims. Gender equality hypothesis: as women become more equal, they become more like men in that they are free to commit more crimes. Gender inequality approach: because of the inequalities, women are more likely to be victimized and without resources, forcing them to turn to crime. Power control approach: girls raised in egalitarian households are more likely to be delinquent than girls raised in an authoritarian (patriarchal or matriarchal) families.
