Sociological Perspective On Crime

Sociological perspectives on gender has developed and changed over the years and continues to change in this day in time. Gender has been one of most relevant factors in relation to crime. It is important to note that women stand on principles that are powerful and prevalent to the systems of oppression, which are based on race and gender. There are many women who have paved the way and have made a major contribution to what is known as “feminist theory”. Feminist theory addresses crime by evaluating male structures and their relationship comparing it to female structures, promoting a greater equality for woman. Feminist theorists focus on several issues concerning issues with feminism, gender inequality, and advocating changes to empower woman

“Using pooled National Crime Survey (NCS) and NCVS data for 1973 to 2005, we found that the female-to-male offending rate ratios for aggravated assaults, robbery, and simple assault have increased over the time and that the narrowing of the gender gaps is very similar to patterns in UCR arrest data (Janet L. Lauritsen, 2009). A females expectation in society and gender roles are different from males, they are very clear and obvious. Females are usually seen as the caregivers and peacemakers, but that is not for all females. There are several who commit deviant acts, such as crimes to maintain status or to get what the need in order to survive. Most criminal acts committed by females are in retaliation, which is sometimes conformity to social

“ Examining time-series arrest data shows that female violence was stable or increased slightly in the 1980s, increased in the early 1990s, and the decreased substantially in the later 1990s, just as did male violence. Researchers are more or less in agreement that girls and woman have not gone wild and are not more violent than ever before” (Janet L. Lauritsen, 2009). Females have been seen as less prone to commit crimes than males, because of their dependency in society, especially to their families. Men and woman commit about the same amount of crime, but men commit more violent crimes than women. Data can add a better understanding to the relationship between the gender gap in offending, which can possibly create an explanation to the gender gap of violent crimes. “It now seems clear that the findings about changes in the gender gap in arrest must be contextualized by the period and type of offense. Simon (1975) compared female arrest rates in the 1960s and 1970s and concluded that notable increases were discovered in female arrest rates for violence” (Janet L. Lauritsen,