...female offenders in the criminal justice system. It has been suggested the shift turning to harsher, more severe punishments is due to more female practitioners in the criminal justice system which subsequently reduced the chivalry hypothesis. The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the literature and empirical research regarding past and present studies of female offenders, the chivalry hypothesis, the differences in male and female convictions, and to answer the enduring question: Is chivalry dead? While this paper does not incorporate all of the literature available, it does offer a good snap shot of many pertinent studies conducted regarding these topics and the issues pertaining to them. Female Offenders Then and Now Over the years, the empirical evidence supporting the position that women offenders are treated less harshly than their male counterparts has been at best inconsistent. (Burnett, 1994: Coombs, 1995: Denno, 1994: Johnson & Nagel, 1994: Klein & Kress, 2014). The writers of these studies used a variety of theses to explain the leniency. Some suggested women are treated with chivalry and thus given lighter sentences for similar offenses created by men. While others suggested the leniency was due to the majority of females in the court system are first time offenders. In 1994, Kathleen Davy published Gender, Crime and Punishment. In the book she explores whether men and women who are convicted of similar crimes, are punished differently. Davy...
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...Gender and Transitional Justice An Assessment of the Contribution of Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Addressing Gender-Based Violence in post-Conflict Sierra Leone Introduction Sierra Leone, a relatively small country with a population of just over 6 million people, has been the focus of considerable attention due to the recent Ebola epidemic and, prior to that, the decade-long civil war (1991-2002) (Mills, Nesbitt-Ahmed, Diggins & Mackieu, 2015, p. 4). After the war, the transition from civil war to peace witnessed a number of landmark procedural innovations with widespread implications for gender justice. The decade-long conflict had shattered the West African country, displacing more than one million people and leaving more than two hundred thousand women and girls dealing with the aftermath of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Then, in 1999, the Lomé Peace Agreement traded amnesty for peace, making provision for the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone to work parallel to the Special Court of Sierra Leone (otherwise called the Special Court or the SCSL) in order to prosecute those who bore “the greatest responsibility” for mass atrocities committed during the civil war. While there is a growing consensus that truth and reconciliation commissions as a transitional justice mechanism can be effective tools “in the construction of a post-conflict society that is more democratic and more respectful of human rights” (Wielbelhans-Hrahm...
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...In the traditional study of crime, women have generally been perceived as disregarded and discriminated in the criminal justice system. Various stereotypes and assumptions about females in the criminal justice system, saw feminist perspectives challenge the theories, concepts and assumptions of those involved in the study of crime (Bryant, 2014). This essay begins by firstly providing a brief description and its origins, how feminist theories causes crime, how its theory defines crime, the multiple feminist perspectives within feminism and how feminist criminology attempts to combat crime. It will then discuss the relevance and how feminist theory influences the criminal justice system, such as women’s role as professionals, as well as women as offenders and victims (Schram & Tibbetts 2013, p. 285). Finally, this essay will examine the applicability to Australian society by exploring if the suggested causes of crime apply to Australian society. It will lastly draw on the criticisms of feminist criminology and how the different types of feminist perspectives lessons the relevance of this theory in Australian society. Outlining the theory Feminist criminology first developed in the 1960’s and 1970’s which was closely associated with the emergence of the Second Wave of Feminism (White, Haines & Asquith 2012, p. 143). The Second Wave of Feminism saw the advent of many issues such as social, political and material inequalities (White, Haines & Asquith 2012, p. 143). Because men...
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...pattern in crime statistics; men are more likely to commit crime than women. Statistics say that four out of five convicted offenders in England and Wales are male. However this may not be the case as there are multiple sociological explanations of gender differences that can support each gender committing more crime. The Liberation Thesis (Freda Alder 1975) looks at the link between changing women’s position and patterns in crime. The thesis argues that as society has become less patriarchal and women becoming more equal to men, that women have been given a greater opportunity to commit crime. Therefore it is concluded that as women become more liberated from patriarchy their crimes will become more serious and ‘male-like’. The reason for this is because women have started to adopt ‘male roles’ in society; for example higher positions in the workplace, therefore they are given a greater opportunity to commit crimes such as white collar crimes rather than female linked crimes such as shoplifting. Official statistics support the liberation thesis as the pattern in female crime has shifted highlighting the rise in female participation in crimes previously regarded as male crimes; armed robbery. However when official statistics have been analysed it has become apparent that female crime rates began rising in 1950 way before the women’s liberation movement. The Chivalry Thesis is mentioned in item B as a sociological explanation for the gender differences in crime, and takes an...
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...to explain why gender differences occur in crime, but to what extent, is the question that will be answered within this essay. This will be done by also assessing the value of other theories and arguments in order to see how useful the chivalry thesis is in understanding gender differences. The chivalry thesis suggests that more sexism on the part of the criminal justice system, such as the male-dominated police and courts, means that women are treated more leniently than men. There is much evidence for the chivalry thesis, for example according to the Home Office, women are consistently treated less severely by the law, with first offenders about half as likely to be given a sentence of immediate imprisonment than males are. In addition, female offenders are generally regarded by the police as a less serious threat than men, and are therefore more likely to benefit from more informal approaches to their offences, particularly for minor offences, such as cautions or warnings rather than being charged. In addition, women do receive more cautions than men, but this is partly because they commit relatively more minor offences like shoplifting, and they are more likely than men to admit their offences, which is necessary before the police can issue a caution. As a result, the criminal justice system will appreciate their honesty and let them off with lighter punishments. Hence, showing how the chivalry thesis can be useful in explaining gender differences in crime. Furthermore...
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...Cameron Golden Dr. Casey Citrin Advanced Senior Humanities 8 April 2018 Gender Bias in the Criminal Justice System Script Introduction Hello, my name is Cameron Golden and I will be taking about the gender bias and the issue of gender neutrality in the US criminal justice system. The first issue I will be focusing on is the root cause for the violent crimes committed by women. Second, I will talk about how the US criminal justice system is biased in the orientation of the system and how it prevents an equal and fair trial and conviction of female offenders. The third issue I will be discussing is the way the law addresses homicide in domestic cases verses what is known as stranger violence and the underrepresentation of women receiving harsher...
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...CJA 394 WEEK 1 Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation John Doe CJA 394 October 01, 2001 Jane Doedy Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation The criminal justice system is forever adjusting to protect and serve a changing society. The paper evaluates, identifies and assesses recent future and current trends affecting the criminal justice system. Lastly, it defines the values of the system in a changing society. Recent trends affecting the criminal justice system are related to gender and racial barriers. According to Roslyn Muraskin and Albert R. Roberts (2009 ), assessments of statuses of women and minorities in police work shows that there are obstacles in official and informal structures of police work organizations related to gender and race. Regardless of assessment studies, which show that women are effective patrol officers, organizational principles of law enforcement has repelled the combination of women into patrol officers for more than 20 years. There are three kinds of organizational resistance to slowing down staffing and preservation of female patrol officers. The first organizational resistance is called Technical Resistance. Technical Resistance comprises of failure to adjust police uniforms, gear, and tools sufficiently for women, and constant issues on physical testing, and firearms during their drills, and preperations. The second organizational resistance is named Political and Cultural Resistance. According to Roslyn Muraskin...
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...age I have always been interested in crime, criminal justice, and how the system works. My passion for the system began around 3rd grade after watching “Spy Kids” and wanting to be a spy or a cop. I knew then I wanted the bad guys to be put away and find justice for all. This obsession grew and developed into something more in high school when I took Law and Society and Forensics my junior and senior year. These classes had me more interested in the legal side of the criminal justice system, and questions criminals motivates for their crime. After high school I decided that I would be the first in my family to go to college and that criminal justice would be my career path. I am now a senior at The University of Alabama as a Criminal...
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...Gender and Family Kimberly Francis CJS 240 August 24,2014 University of Phoenix Gender and Family In today's society, there are more and more juveniles that are doing delinquent crimes. People wander what causes so many juveniles to do the crimes that they do. Is it because of family, their gender or can it not getting the attention they need. People wander if the gender between the boys and girls has anything to do with the delinquency. Girls become delinquent for a vary of different reasons than boys. A girl can become delinquent based on the biological, social, and cultural differences between the girls and boys. The hormones onset and brain development, to the child's up bringing in the home, to the way a girl is expected to act in public opposed to how the boys are. Boys are taught to take care of themselves, to be more aggressive towards their goals and to act out more angry and retributive fashion than girls do. Boys are expected to mature faster than girls and are mainly raised by parents that they are to take care of the home. Does families have anything to do with delinquency? Researchers shows that family structures plays a huge part in the characteristics of juvenile delinquencies. In a family, the parents are separated there are less supervision on the children when growing up. Only one parent is present, that parent is doing all the work to provide the household with the income that is needed to take care of the home. The parents usually doesn't know...
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...Feminism and Crime Name: Course: Instructor: Institution: Date of Submission: Introduction Feminism is the belief that men and women are of equal worth and should be treated equally despite the gender. Feminism has evolved from the years. The current generation, Generation Y has a different perspective of females than the former generations. There have been three major waves of feminism evolution. The first wave was in the 1800s, women were not allowed to vote or participate in any public or political opinions. During this time, women demanded their right to vote. The second wave of feminism developed in the 1960s where females of certain marginalized groups (working class women, blacks and prisoners) felt they weren't being treated equally and fairly like men and upper-class women. The civil rights activist fought very much for their rights during this time. However, not a lot resulted during this wave which led to the third wave of feminism evolution. The third wave developed to improve the second wave short comings. This is the new generation of feminists who know their rights and what gender equality is. Society generally favored men hence the need for social movements towards females rights to be heard. Feminism and Criminology Feminist criminology evolved during the time women were being judged on their gender rather than the type they committed. Gender inequality is basically due to men trying to control women and their sexuality. Feminists insist...
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...The United States criminal justice system, an outwardly fair organization of integrity and justice, is a perfect example of a seemingly equal situation, which turns out to be anything but for women. The policies imposed in the criminal justice system affect men and women in extremely dissimilar manners. I plan to examine how gender intersects with the understanding of crime and the criminal justice system. Gender plays a significant role in understanding who commits what types of crimes, why they do so, who is most often victimized, and how the criminal justice system responds to these victims and offenders. In order to understand the current state of women and the way in which gender relates to crime and criminal justice, it is first necessary to provide a comprehensive analysis of the historical evolution of women in the criminal justice system and the affect that the different waves of feminism have had on policies and practices towards women in this system. I plan to argue that the criminal justice system is another form of patriarchal control, a sexist organization which creates conflict between the private sphere of a woman's life and the public. This control extends far beyond the just incarcerated women, it affects all women. Despite the fact that there have been changes to certain policies and prison regulations, though made with resistance, none of the changes have been for the better. By looking at past and present situations as well as the differing feminist perspectives...
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...This paper will discuss the female gender in the criminal justice system profession as victims and perpetrators of crimes, with analyzing and researching gender and how it adds to the challenges in the profession. There has been a change from the time that women entered into the criminal justice profession to today. In 1845 women were known as police matrons and their job was to monitor and assist female inmates(CriminalJusticeSchoolInfo.com, 2015) Today we know these as correctional officers who still complete the same tasks by monitoring and assisting female inmate’s. It was not until 1908 that a women took the title of a female police officer (CriminalJusticeSchoolInfo.com, 2015). Through history women who wanted to enter into the profession fought for opportunities and went through struggles for women’s equality. Today female correctional officers have the same equal rights as male correctional officers. They complete the same tasks and their job descriptions are equal to one another. Both genders oversee victims and perpetrators in the criminal justice system. In prison settings both female and male inmates were housed together. It was not until 1891 when the New York when a female was assaulted by a male that they began to separate the male and female gender (CriminalJusticeSchoolInfo.com, 2015). This is one challenge that is faced being either the victim or the perpetrator in the justice system. When you are imprisoned for the crime that you have committed being surrounded...
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...Asses the value of chivalry thesis is understanding gender differences in crime Official statistics in the UK state that women on average commit fewer crimes then men. It indicates that only 1 in 5 convicted offenders in England and Wales are females. However, contrary to this it was found that females were had a higher conviction rate of property offences. It is argued that its the chivalry thesis is a cause for these differences. The basis of the of the chivalry thesis is that most criminal agencies such as police officers and other forms of the judicary are men, and men are socialised to act in a “chivalrous” way towards women. Pollak argues that men are protective towards women and that the criminal justice system is more lenient towards them.Because of this their crimes are less likely to end up in the official crime statistics, which would mean that the crime statistics give an unrepresentative image of offences. Flood-Page et al ’s research supports this theory, as they found that out of females who were self-reported criminals only one in eleven had been cautioned or prosecuted. Whereas for men in was over one in seven. Furthermore women were also more likely to be cautioned rather than prosecuted. According to the Ministry of Justice in 2007 49% of females recorded as offending were cautioned. However for males the figure was significantly less at 30%. However there is evidence that disputes the chivalry thesis. An example of this is Farrinton and Morris...
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...Diana Gomez Gender and Crime Crime and Gender According to the data for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, females have lower arrest rates than males for nearly all crime categories except prostitution. Statistics also indicate that men are more likely to commit crime, both serious and not, than women. This is true for all countries, racial and ethnic groups, and for which data are available. In the United States, women comprise less than 20 percent of arrests for most crime classifications and is typically the smallest for the most serious offenses. Criminologists believe that the gender gap in crime is universal, women are always and everywhere less likely than men to commit criminal acts. Moreover, the most significant variable associated to crime is gender. Gender gap is the difference in number between both genders in one particular state, area, zone or nation. It is the differences between women and men, as reflected in social, political, intellectual, cultural, or attitudes. Public Policy Center researchers took two approaches to examining this issue of gender gap or gender differences. In the first, they examined the declining gender gap in arrests for all Part I Index Offenses using the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and linked these changes to changes in women’s economic circumstances and welfare provisions over time. Research professors point out that in the second approach, it involved conducting analyses of victim’s reports of the gender of their assailant using...
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...Running head: IS JUSTICE TRULY BLIND? Is Justice Truly Blind The structure by which offenders are detained and reprimanded is one of the supports of any democratic system. However in order for that arrangement to remain feasible, the community must be convinced that individuals in resembling circumstances are treated the same and with consistency, from the original exploration of the offense, to the hearing and penalty of that crime, down to the prosecutors and the judges. This process is not optional, but rather guaranteed by the Constitution of law despite race, gender or ethnicity (Justice on Trial, 2012). As we know our criminal justice system today, it appears to be operating far from this principle. Somehow in the arena of criminal justice, racial discrimination is increasing instead of diminishing. Disparate treatment of minorities differentiates every point in the course of action. Black and Hispanic Americans, as well as other minority groups, are mistreated by inconsistent targeting and unreasonable treatment by the police and other law enforcement officials; by the racially distorted charging and plea bargaining resolutions offered by prosecutors, biased punishments, and by the letdown of judges, nominated officials and other criminal justice guidelines used to remedy the unfairness of justice that has become more obvious as time goes on (Justice on Trial, 2012). All of these issues add to the opinion that lawlessness is a colored and minority...
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