National Law Institute University, Bhopal 2010-2011 IV Trimester

Criminology Project On Gender and Crime: Female Criminality

Submitted to: Dr. G. S. Bajpai Professor

Submitted by: Richa Jain 2009BALLB54

Table of Contents
y Introduction y Statement of problem y Objectives y Hypothesis y Method of Study y Classical explanation to female criminality

 Lombroso and Ferrero  Sigmund Freud  Otto Pollack  Contemporary view

y Patterns of male and female offending

 Physical strength and aggression  Sexuality  Access to criminal opportunity  Motivation

y Conclusion y Bibliography

Introduction
Criminology has treated women's role in crime with a large measure of indifference. The intellectual tradition from which criminology derives its conception of these sexes maintains esteem for men's a utonomy, intelligence and force of character while disdaining women for their weaknesses of compliance and passivity. Women who conform as pure, obedient daughters, wives and mothers benefit men and society. Those women who don't, that is, they are non-conforming, may simply be one who questions established beliefs or practices, or one who engages in activities associated with men, or one who commits a crime. They are seen as 'mad' not 'bad'. These behaviours frequently lead to interpretations of being ment ally abnormal and unstable. Generally crimes committed by women differ from male criminality. The differences can be seen in the nature of the crime and its consequences, combined with the method, crime weapon, and choice of victim. It is difficult to overlook the fact that crimes committed by women have a more emotional characteristic then those committed by men. Women are far less likely than men to commit crime. This pattern seems to hold true all over the world. Only 1 9% of known offenders are women.

Statement of problem
To study the difference in crime rates and types of crime committed by both the sex. And also to study the reasons to criminality in women.

Objectives
1. To study the female crime rates in comparison to that of male crime rates. 2. To find the reasons to the vast difference in the crime rate as compared to that males. 3. To find the reasons to the criminal instincts in women. 4. To analyze the type of crime generally committed by women.

Hypothesis
It is believed that women being more emo tional that is less aggressive and physically weak, they are supposedly commit less crime.

Method of Study
It is a non doctrinal research based on secondary sources of data.

Classical explanation to female criminality

1. Lombroso and Ferrero wrote a book called, The Female Offender. Their theories were based on 'atavism'. Atavism refers to the belief that all individuals displaying anti-social behaviour were biological throwbacks. The born female criminal was perceived to have the criminal qualities of the male plus the worst characteristics of women. According to Lombroso and Ferrero, these included deceitfulness, cunning and spite among others and were not apparent among males. This appeared to indicate that criminal women were genetically more male than non-criminal female, therefore biologically abnormal. Criminality in men was a common feature of their natural characteristics, whereby women, their biologically-determined nature was opposite to crime. Female social deviants or criminals who did not act according to pre -defined standards were diagnosed as pathological and requiring treatment, that is, they were to be cured or removed. 2. Sigmund Freud offered an explanation of female crime which stated women are universally not able to fully resolve the repressed desire. They have a great deal of need for the approval of men, so as a rule they do not risk upsetting them by committing crimes. The exceptional female who does offend is seen as suffering from extreme penis envy and, in a desire to be a man, takes an aggressive, non-conforming attitude that may result in criminal behaviour. 3. Pollak in his landmark book The Criminality of Women argues that the types of crimes women commit include shoplifting, domestic thefts, and theft by prostitutes, abortions and perjury. He made the point that these crimes are under-represented in crime statistics for a variety of reasons; easy concealment, underreporting, embarrassment on the part of male victims, and male chivalry in

the justice system, he provides examples of lower visibility and detection of female crime to feminine cunning and deceit. The willingness to excuse or impose a light punishment on female offenders was explained away to male chivalry.

4.Contemporary view
The majority of women commit crimes for similar reasons, women are not naturally criminals. Most women are nurturing not violent. Women are driven to commit crime by factors such as being abused, low socio economic status, lack of health care, lack of parental guidance, being controlled by someone else, lack of education and many more factors. Many of women who commit crime were in abusive relationships in past. When a woman is abused she can only take it for so long before she breaks. So many women are oppressed that when they do get a chance to fight back, they fight with all of their might. Thus women commit crimes because they see no other choice

Female and Male Patterns of Offending

Patterns of offending by men and by women are notable both for their similarities and for their differences. Both men and women are more heavily involved in minor property and substance abuse offenses than in serious crimes like robbery or murder. However, men offend at much higher rates than women for all crime categories except prostitution. This gender gap i n crime is greatest for serious crime and least for mild forms of lawbreaking such as minor property crimes. Many sources provide data that permit comparison of male and female offending.

1. PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND AGGRESSION

The demands of the crime environment for physical power and violence help account for the less serious nature and less frequent incidence of crimes by women compared to those by men. Women may lack the power, or may be perceived by themselves or by others as lacking the violent potential, for successful completion of certain types of crime or for protection of a major score. Hustling small amounts of money or property protects female

criminals against predators who might be attracted by larger amounts. Real or perceived vulnerability can also help account for female restriction to solo roles, or to roles as subordinate partners or accomplices in crime groups. Together, physical ability and muscle are useful for committing crimes, for protection, for enforcing contracts, and for recruiting and managing reliable associates.

2. SEXUALITY

Women have expanded opportunities for financi al gain through prostitution and related illicit sexual roles. The possibilities in this arena reduce the need to commit the serious property crimes that so disproportionately involve males. Although female offenders may use their sexuality to gain entry into male criminal organizations, such exploitation of male stereotypes is likely to limit their criminal opportunities within the group to roles organized around female attributes. The sexual dimension may also heighten the potential for sexual tension which can be resolved only if the female aligns herself with one man sexually, becoming his woman. Even prostitutionoften considered a female crimeis essentially a male dominated or -controlled criminal enterprise. Police, pimps, businessmen who employ prostitutes, and clients virtually all of whom are malecontrol, in various ways, the conditions under which the prostitute works.

3. Access to Criminal Opportunity

The factors like gender norms, social control, etc restricts female access to criminal opportunity, which in turn both limits and shapes female participation in crime. Women are also less likely than men to have access to crime opportunities as a spin-off of legitimate roles and routine activities. Women are less likely to hold jobs as truck driver, dockworker, or carpenter that wo uld provide opportunities for theft, drug dealing, fencing, and other illegitimate activities. Females are most restricted in terms of access to underworld crimes that are organized and lucrative. Institutional sexism in the underworld severely limits

female involvement in crime groups, ranging from syndicates to loosely structured groups. As in the upperworld, females in the underworld are disadvantaged in terms of selection and recruitment, in the range of career paths and access to them, and in opportunities for tutelage, skill development, and rewards.

4. Motivation

Gender norms, social control, lack of physical strength, and moral and relational concerns also limit female willingness to participate in crime at the subjective level - by contributing to gender differences in tastes for risk, likelihood of shame or embarrassment, self-control, and assessment of costs versus rewards of crime. Motivation is distinct from opportunity, but the two often intertwine, as when opportunity enhances temptation. As in legitimate enterprise, being able tends to make one more willing, just as being willing increases the prospects for being able. Like male offenders, female offenders gravitate to those activities that are easily available, are within their skills, provi de a satisfactory return, and carry the fewest risks. Criminal motivations and involvements are also shaped by gender differences in risk preferences and in styles of risk-taking. For example, women take greater risks to sustain valued relationships, whereas males take greater risks for reasons of status or competitive advantage. Criminal motivation is suppressed by the female ability to foresee threats to life chances and by the relative unavailability of type scripts that could channel females in unapproved behaviours.

Conclusion
Scientists have suggested that the brain differences between male and female is an essential reason why women are more likely to stay out of harms way. Current research has demonstrated that females, on average, have a larger d eep limbic system than males. Due to this, women are more in touch with their feelings; they have an increased ability to bond and are connected to others. The relationship between gender differences, and criminal behaviour is complex and varied, there are no simple answers. A number of factors must be taken into account, and the environmental influences and cultural traditions can be seen as the most important ones. Changing social and economic conditions, environmental influences, cultural traditions and physiological factors must be taken into account when dealing with crime. It has only been over the last thirty to forty years that women have empowered themselves and fought for equality within all areas of society . Although all have the potential for aggression and compliance, the view that women are 'other', inferior and unstable because of their hormones and emotions makes it all too easy to see them, by their very nature, as unstable, irrational, and neurotic.

Bibliography and Web Resource

y Reference material of criminology, IV Trimester. y http://www.keltawebconcepts.com.au/ecrgend1.htm y http://hubpages.com/hub/WHY-DO-WOMEN-COMMIT-CRIME y http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/309360/why_do_wome n_com

mit_crimes.html