Using the Material from Item a and Elsewhere Asses the Use of the Chivalry Thesis in Understanding Gender Differences in Crime (21 Marks)

Using the material from item A and elsewhere asses the use of the chivalry thesis in understanding gender differences in crime (21 marks)

The general view is that males usually commit more crime overall than woman, as four out of five offenders within England are male, alongside the fact that males are more likely to re-offend, as well as have longer criminal careers and committing more serious crimes. Sociologist argue whether official statistics on crime show us a true picture on the extent of gender differences in crime, sociologist believe that the amount of female offenders has been underestimated. They argue the fact that typically woman commit crimes in which are less likely to be reported as well as being less likely noticed such a shoplifting, or property crimes; however men commit crimes involving violence and sexual crimes which males are more likely to engage in rather than woman. In correlation to this point if woman are caught or detected for the crime in which they have committed they are less likely to be prosecuted but to be let off lighter than a male.

The argument in which sociologist put across is known as the chivalry thesis; this argues that most of the criminal justice agents such as magistrates, courts, judges and police officers consist of males. As a part of male socialisation they are taught to be ‘chivalrous’ towards women, meaning that men are meant to protect and look out for woman and prevent harm from happening to them. Pollak talks about this protective nature by saying ‘ men hate to accuse woman and thus send them to their punishment, police men dislike to arrest them, district attorneys to prosecute them, judges and juries to find them guilty and so on’. Meaning that the justice system seem to be more lenient with woman and their crimes are less likely to end up in the official statistics. This then causes the statistics in which we are portrayed as invalid and there for exaggerate the extent of difference within male...