Gender Role In Feminist Criminology

Criminology is the study of crime, its perpetrators, and its causes; and, relatedly, an interest in its prevention, and in the deterrence, treatment, and punishment of offenders, (The Oxford Handbook of Criminology, 2012). Feminist criminology specifically suggests addressing crimes committed by women. According to Burgess-Proctor (2006) Feminist criminology or the development of female crimes as a mature theoretical orientation gradually became an accepted theory during the 1970s as a pioneering generation of women insisted that female deviances were worthy of academic study. This shows that the presence of women in criminology is dated only as far back as 40 years ago. Furthermore, it indicates that research based on female criminology
Biologically, a socially constructed idea of women as criminals is presumed to be an anomaly as women are expected to behave in a feminine and conformist manner, (Leonard, 1982; Browne, 2011). From a sociological view, Children at a young age are taught the gender roles expected of them, girls are taught to play the expressive role (nurturing and emotional help in the family) while men are expected to play the instrumental role (provider/ breadwinner), Parson (1945) Gender role thesis coupled with gender stereotypes, Brennan & Vandenberg (2009) by providing certain toys and games to establish anticipatory roles expected of them as the family is the primary form of socialisation. Women are provided with fewer opportunities to partake in crime due to social control, as they are perceived as vulnerable and fragile they are monitored more closely by their parents than their male counterparts (Browne, 2011). The police as a formal social control agent may notice a young lady by herself and be more attentive this limits crime opportunities, (Becker and Mc Corkel, 2011). A psychological reason suggested by Smith (1989) that women are known to bear a certain fear of crimes because of their responsibility to their children . This is a result of the sex theory role that uses gender socialisation role to explain the idea, (Sutherland 1949). Due to this, women tend to
247) suggested that the “chivalry thesis suggests that more paternalism or sexism on the part of the police and courts means they regard female crimes as minor cases”, this idea is supported by Pollack (1950) that women are treated leniently, as they seem to be vulnerable by the male in the criminal justice system. Police stereotyping of women indicates that women are less likely to be persecuted as more informal approaches such as warnings would be taken to the offenders as most crimes committed by women are identified as minor crimes and non-violent which includes prostitution or petty theft, Graham and Bowling (1995), this is evidence on why women may seem to be absent in criminological research.

The idea that women are absent in criminological research is outdated as in the 21st century more studies and research concerning female crimes are made, with remarkable development in advanced technology and a more effective police force suggesting that more female related crimes are reported and recorded (Kelling and Moore,1988). There is a unit in the American society of criminology known as the division of women, which is dedicated to investigating and recording issues related to female crimes. This has contributed to the generating of information on female crimes and has increased research on female