Introduction to feminist theories of crime

There are three distinct feminist approaches to crime. One key approach focuses on interactions between female offenders and formal agents of social control, such as the police and courts. This approach questions whether women are treated differently based on societal expectations of femininity.

The chivalry hypothesis

The chivalry hypothesis is a key idea within one feminist approach to crime. It suggests that the criminal justice system treats women more leniently than men due to ingrained gender biases. This hypothesis was proposed by Otto Pollak, who argued that women commit just as much crime as men, but their offences are often overlooked or handled softly.

Key arguments of the chivalry hypothesis

• Women engage in criminal behaviour at similar levels to men.
• They receive lenient treatment from male officials within the criminal justice system, such as police officers and judges.
• This protective attitude means female offenders are less likely to face charges, conviction, or imprisonment.
• This consequently affects the accuracy of official crime figures regarding women's involvement.

Criticisms of the chivalry hypothesis

Feminist criminologists have strongly criticised the chivalry hypothesis, arguing that it does not accurately reflect women's experiences in the criminal justice system. Instead of leniency, many feminists point out that women often face harsher treatment, particularly when they deviate from traditional gender norms. Frances Heidensohn, a prominent feminist sociologist, contends that the system is biased against women who fail to conform to stereotypes of femininity.

Evidence of harsher treatment for women

• Non-conformity to feminine stereotypes - Women who do not match judges' expectations of how a "proper" woman should behave or appear are penalised more severely. For example, those perceived as unfeminine – such as openly lesbian women, feminists, or members of deviant youth subcultures – are more likely to receive prison sentences if convicted.
• Judgements based on motherhood and sexuality - Studies show that women viewed as poor mothers or sexually promiscuous are at higher risk of imprisonment.

Double deviance and female murderers

A particularly stark example of gender bias in crime relates to how society views women who commit serious offences, such as murder. Feminist theories introduce the concept of double deviance to explain this phenomenon. Double deviance occurs when women are seen not only as breaking the law but also as violating unwritten societal rules about femininity, which expect women to be nurturing and caring rather than violent.

Key aspects of double deviance

• Contradiction of gender roles - Murder by women is perceived as especially shocking because it opposes the stereotype of women as life-givers and carers. This leads to women killers being labelled as more deviant than their male counterparts.
• Media and societal interpretation - The mass media and society often interpret female murderers as somehow more deviant than male murderers.