Overview
This lecture examines gender and crime, focusing on the chivalry thesis, which suggests women receive more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system due to paternalistic attitudes.
The Chivalry Thesis
- Pollock introduced the chivalry thesis post-World War II, claiming female crime rates are underrepresented in statistics.
- Police and the judiciary are seen as treating female offenders less harshly due to societal norms protecting women.
- Women often receive cautions or community punishments instead of imprisonment, influenced by beliefs that their crimes are less harmful.
- Female offenses are often perceived as errors of judgment, not intentional wrongdoing.
- Society expects women to be moral and good, so female crime is viewed as society’s failure in its duty of care.
- Crimes commonly committed by women, like shoplifting and prostitution, are seen as less serious and are less likely to lead to criminal charges.
Contemporary Application
- In 2017, Oxford student Lavinia Woodward avoided jail for stabbing her boyfriend, due in part to the judge viewing her as having a promising future.
- The lenient approach was criticized as an example of chivalry thesis in action, suggesting a male in the same situation would be treated less favorably.
Criticisms and Alternative Perspectives
- Self-report studies indicate little difference in offending rates between genders, but men are charged and imprisoned more often.
- Male criminality is considered deliberate, while female offending is viewed as accidental.
- Henson argues women can face "double deviance" when committing crimes associated with men, receiving even harsher judgment.
- Carlen found women's sentences often depend on their perceived roles as wives and mothers, not the actual crime.
- Walklate suggests the justice system can discriminate against female victims, such as rape victims having to prove lack of consent.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Chivalry Thesis — the idea that women are treated more leniently than men in the criminal justice system.
- Double Deviance — the concept that women are judged for both breaking the law and breaking gender norms.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Pollock’s original writings on the chivalry thesis.
- Compare crime statistics with self-report studies on gender and offending.
- Prepare for discussion on critiques of the chivalry thesis in the next class.