CAGE and crime
Class
Age
Gender
Ethnicity
Marxists - Crime is a function of class , way of the wroking class to resist capitalism
Rules are made by the bourgeoisie
Functionalist - Crime linked with poor socialisation and is a reflection of reality
Interactionist - Lower class are more likely to be labeled
Rosenbaum
6 Criminal problems
- People in Poverty
- Poor housing and social environment
- Low income /benefit dependent families
- Poor schools
- Active drug abuse problems
- Limited control of the problem
Pat Carlen
Working class more likely to experience convictions
Middle Class Crime
Different to working class crime which is opportunistic
Middle class have access to to different forms of crime
Types of middle class crime
Corporate crime (Tax Dodging/Breaking safety regulation)
Information theft and computer fraud
Money Laundering
Environmental crimes (Pollution)
Less likely to be recorded because
Victims may be unaware
Complex nature of crime
Want to deal with privately
Social Exclusion Unit (SEU)
Prisoners are more likely to
Been in the care system
Truanted/Been excluded from school and had poor education
Experienced long term unemployment
Come from benefit dependant households
Have mental or substance abuse problems
Massive differences in crime statistics
The Sex Role Theory
Ministry of Justice , women still commit fewer crimes
85% of people arrested are men
95% of Prisoners are men
98% of sexual offenders are men
Gender differences in crime rates result from different gender roles and socialisation
Traditional feminine norms and values discourage criminal activity
Values associated with masculinity are conductive to crime
Parsons
Women perform expressive role (housework)
Have internalised values such as being caring and not committing crimes
By carrying out expressive roles they are more attached to communities
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Freda Adler
Less likely to commit crimes because they have greater bond of attachement
Dual Burden - Working and doing housework , keeps them busier
Increase in female crime is side effect of female emancipation
Females commit crimes based on accessibility and socio - econpmic postition
For example stealing nappies and food for survival
Masculinity and higher crime rates
Sutherland - Tendency to teach boys to be "rough and tough" makes it more likely to engage in deliquency
When masculine roles and values are engrained during socialisation , they become more rebellious
Cloward and Ohlin -Young boys in gangs learn neccessary traits of strong masculinity e.g Dominance and Toughness
Feminist Perspective
Marginalisation
Marginal Positions of women in patriarchal societies is the reason men commit more crime
Control Theory
Idea that women are more controlled than men
Heidensohn - Girls are controlled by their fathers and relatives and then husbands when they are married
Because the lack of control over men they commit more crimes
Because women deviated from traditional care giving norms , they are treated more harshly
Gender deal
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Women engage in domestic labour and receive love and financial support in return , so crime is committed when these break down
Chivalry Thesis
Counter point - Men are scoialised to protect women therefore they receive lesser sentences
Official crime statistics show levels of prosecution , charging ,offnding and punishment vary between ethnic groups
in 2011 , 9% of those arrested where black however they make up 2% of the population