Feminist Theory and Female Deviance

• Feminist theory posits that patriarchal societies control women, thus discouraging female deviance.
• Historically, sociology has disproportionately focused on male deviance, overlooking female deviance and victimization.
• Mainstream crime theories have been criticized by feminists for reflecting male dominance, termed 'malestream' sociology.

Gender and Crime Statistics

• Arrests in 2012/13 were 15% female and 85% male.
• In June 2014, the prison population was 5% female and 95% male.
• Over the past decade, the male prison population has increased, while the female population has decreased.
• By age 40, approximately 1 in 3 males and fewer than 1 in 10 females are likely to have a criminal conviction.

Sex Role Theory

• Argues that differing socializations of boys and girls contribute to gender differences in crime rates.
• Girls are socialized with greater supervision and control, limiting opportunities for deviance, according to Sutherland (1949).
• Boys are socialized to be more aggressive, increasing the likelihood of deviancy.
• Cohen suggested that boys lacking male role models may join gangs to establish masculinity.

Early Explanations for Low Female Crime Rates

• Official figures suggest women commit fewer crimes.
• Crimes committed by women are often considered trivial.
• The field of sociology has historically been dominated by men, leading to a 'malestream effect.'

Chivalry Factor

• Campbell's (1981) study indicated that female suspects were more likely to receive a caution.
• Self-report studies suggest a higher rate of juvenile offending among girls than official figures indicate.
• Hood (1989) found that men were more likely to receive custodial sentences than women.

Challenges to the Chivalry Factor

• Box (1981) argued that self-report data aligns with official figures.
• Farrington and Morris (1983) found that sentencing disparities decrease with the severity of the offense.
• Walklate (1995) argued that female rape victims face a difficult court system, where they must prove their respectability.
• Heidensohn (1985) suggested that the legal system views convicted women as doubly deviant, leading to harsher sentences.
• Smart (1997) argued that the criminal justice system assesses women based on their roles as mothers, wives, and daughters.

Causes of Female Crime and Deviance

• Lombroso (1895) viewed women as having fewer physiological traits of typical male criminals (not a feminist perspective).
• Adler (1975) posited that women's liberation increased female crime as women adopted male characteristics.
• Box and Hale attributed the rise in female criminality to factors like inadequate welfare, unemployment, and part-time work among working-class women.

Social Conformity

• Hiedensohn (1985) stated that patriarchal societies exert greater control over women in various settings:
  • At home: women are responsible for caregiving and domestic duties.
  • In public: women face social stigma for engaging in activities considered acceptable for men.
  • At work: women are supervised and controlled by male superiors.

Masculinity and Crime

• Messerschmidt argues middle-class boys repress their true selves to behave well in school, leading to deviant acts outside school.
• Working-class boys, with fewer opportunities for school achievement, may act tough in school.

Feminist theory explores patriarchal control and its impact on female deviance. Traditional sociology has often overlooked female experiences in crime, focusing more on male behavior. Studies show disproportionate arrest and imprisonment rates between genders, alongside differences in criminal convictions by age.