Sociological Explanations For Gender Differences - 936 Words

Outline and Assess Sociological Explanations for Gender Differences in Crime Rates Current statistics show that men commit 80% of all crime and women commit only 20%. However there are arguments to suggest that the statistics highlight an under representation of female criminality, and there are many sociological arguments to suggest that female criminals are treated more leniently. On the other hand, some sociologists believe women are treated more harshly when they commit certain types of crime. This essay aims to assess the reasons for gender differences in reported crime rates. Official crime rates are measured by crimes reported and recorded by the police and criminal justice system, and are collected by the Home Office. Frances Heidensohn (1975) believes that male criminality is 5 times higher than female criminality, which current data supports. However, Otto Pollak (1961) was the first sociologist to argue that crime rates for female crime were inaccurate. He believed that women were treated more leniently by the police and criminal justice system, which highlighted the under representation of female criminality in the official statistics. He argued that women were more likely to commit crimes such as petty theft, prostitution and criminal abortions, which were then likely to be treated more leniently. Pollak’s theories have been widely criticised and may not be relevant today; indeed he failed to take into account the decriminalisation of abortion in many of theShow MoreRelatedSociological Explanations For Gender Difference1387 Words   |  6 PagesTITLE: outline and assess sociological explanations for gender difference in patterns of crime. What is the relationship between crime and masculinity? Crime can be described as an act that harmful to an individual as well as the society; such acts are against and punishable by the law. While deviance can be described as acting against social norms, for example a boy wearing a skirt would be out of place in the society The sex role theory states that, when young males and females are younger theyRead MoreOutline and Assess Sociological Explanations of Gender Difference in Patterns of Crime.2210 Words   |  9 Pagesas deviant. Official statistics have proven that 80% of all crimes are committed by males. However the study of criminology have tended to be dominated by males, therefore the studies are done by men about men. The official statistics suggest that gender is perhaps the most significant single factor in whether an individual is convicted of crime. The official statistics often comply with the common assumption that men commit more crimes then women. According to official statistics, in 2005, 1.8Read MoreUsing Material from Item a and Elsewhere, Assess Sociological Explanations of Gender Differences in Achievement and Subject Choice. (20 Marks)791 Words   |  4 Pagesachieving two or more A-levels or equivalent has increased from 20% in 1990 to 42% in 2006. Over the same time period, the percentage of males achieving the same level increased from 18% to 33%. On the other hand, there still continues to be a large difference in the choice of subjects by males and females. Even with the national curriculum being restrictive in the lower levels, meaning both male and females do the same subjects, when they get to a-levels and degree level, both male and females stillRead MoreEssay on Lisa Belkins The Opt-Out Revolution 1476 Words   |  6 Pagesthe workforce post-childbirth. Belkin elaborates on the â€Å"stalled revolutionâ₠¬  that women and feminists alike are facing today, citing explanations varying from the essentialist belief of inherent biological differences between men and women to the role of socialization in the creation of gender roles. One of Belkin’s more interesting arguments involves the difference between women’s definition of success and men’s, and the impact it has on their respective definitions of work. In sum, Belkin’s primaryRead MoreCommon Sense Explanations And The Explanations Of C. Wright Mills Theory Of The Sociological Imagination1534 Words   |  7 PagesIn this essay I will be exploring the differences between common sense explanations and the explanations of C. Wright Mills theory of The Sociological Imagination. Common sense is based on people s personal experiences and their opinions, very often constructed from social norms and generalised views. Whereas, the Sociological Imagination thought up by sociologist C. Wright Mills (1959) is ba sed on the ideas of thinking critically and skeptically, in order to think sociologically. He wrote thatRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality1697 Words   |  7 Pagesmen, but this paper will argue in the U.S. today the gender wage gap still exists. The definition of gender wage gap as stated by the U.S. government is defined as women who work full time or salary based jobs who receive less earnings than their male counterparts who work equal level jobs (â€Å"Equal Pay,† n.d.).[] This analysis will focus on the years of 2012 to 2014, and in these years it is clear that the gender wage gap exists. The topic of gender wage gap sociologically important for many reasonsRead MoreSociological And Common Sense Understanding1341 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction to Sociology Throughout this essay, I will explain the distinction between sociological and common sense understanding, highlight the differences between sociology and other social sciences, and evaluate two sociological perspectives – Marxism and feminism. Sociology is the scientific study of human society. It examines the development of social structures, and the interaction between these structures and human behaviour. Sociologists aim to provide tools of understanding the processRead MorePraying Habits Through A Multicultural Church Gathering1371 Words   |  6 PagesPRAYING HABITS IN A MULTICULTURAL CHURCH GATHERING The purpose of this research and writing this paper is to understand the sociological behavior of different ages, genders and backgrounds in relations to the belief in Prayers and to analyze how sociological factor and values can influence the pattern and habit of praying. Prayer represents an individual’s attempt to communicate with the supernatural (Stark and Finke 2000), as well as oneself and others (Ladd and Sphilka 2002, 2006). As much asRead MoreThe Gender Trap : Parents And The Pitfalls Of Raising Boys And Girls Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesName Course Tutor Date Book Review of â€Å"The Gender Trap: Parents and the Pitfalls of Raising Boys and Girls† by Kane Emily W. This is a book that explains why the gender trap is not the parent’s fault, but a social construction. One of the social institutions is the family. Through the family, Kane has explained the role of the parents in maintaining the social gender trap. Kane has analyzed her interviews with parents of preschool children to show the beliefs and motivations that construct theRead MoreObesity as a Social Issue Through the Advancement of Technology1026 Words   |  5 Pagesadvancement of technology, gender differences and the socio-economic status of individuals. First however, it is imperative to step away from the familiarity of our lives and look at obesity from a new point of view. (Giddens, 2013) To divulge deeper into the relationships between personal experience and the wider society, and recognize the influential ability of this interaction. It is this act of sociological thinking that C. Wright Mills (2010) called the sociological imagination. For this to