Feminist Perspectives Week 13 Feminist Perspectives

Feminist Perspectives Relevance for criminology? Overwhelming ‘maleness’ of the prison population Criminologists are nearly all men Female criminality is a departure from ‘natural female behavior’ How are female criminals dealt with?

Feminist Perspectives Even within feminism there is a diversity of thinking… Liberal* Critical* Marxist Radical linked to patriarchy

Simon and Adler Every social area is separated by sex-role differences Aggressive boys/dependent girls Liberation Hypothesis: As women’s opportunities broaden, so will their involvement in crime Major byproduct of the women’s movement Did this happen?

Generalizability Problem Gender Ratio Problem Daly and Chesney-Lind Problematize gender and consider the implications of findings for empowering women Generalizability Problem Gender Ratio Problem

Daly and Chesney-Lind How is the law used to institutionalize this gender difference? Law Runaways Prostitution Big contribution? Request for research

Messerschmidt What is masculinity? Challenges the feminist critique Feminist theories have not taken seriously the study of masculinity Masculinity and ‘doing gender’ (both men and women can do this, but it’s easier for men, why?)

Messerschmidt Criminality and masculinity are intertwined Masculinity involves the dominance of women, heterosexuality, the pursuit of sexual gratification, independence etc. Middle class white boys Lower class minority boys

Policy Implications What should we do? Treat men and women differently? equally? The same? What happens to them in real life? In the criminal justice system? “Women in Prison” video 85% mothers, mostly single mothers etc. Boggo Rd example

Critique Lack of research