The Strengths and Weaknesses of Feminist Criminology - Essay Example

Running Head: FEMINIST CRIMINOLOGY Feminist Criminology Date Feminist Criminology Introduction Feminism is the political, economical or cultural movement intended to set up more legal protection and rights for women in the society. It is concerned with sociological and political philosophies and theories related to movement that supports more gender specific rights for women, issues of gender difference together with promotion for women rights and interests in society. This has brought about the issue of gender sensitivity in the society of which has made some of the men to be against the movement in the society (Laurie 1992 pp 24-54). Feminists’ waves may have contributed to greater liberation to women but have not changed their pattern of crime. They have continued to commit crime both white crime and blue crime regardless of support they get from their colleagues. On the other hand, criminology is the study of crime and criminal justice, it comprise of a wide range of topics and approaches, one of them being feminist criminology. From a feminism point of view feminist criminology is the study of crimes and criminal justice with women as the subject. It was meant to respond to neglection of women by and the male dominance of mainstream criminology. Previously, there were no women incorporated into criminal justice system in world, this brought about question among feminists who later on decided to create a department of feminist criminology within criminal justice system, to enhance the support of women in the society (Gelsthorpe 2002 pp 23-26). With much effort, it is still thought out that there are still low numbers of women in the field. The department is entitled to deal with women in the society in relation to the crimes being committed. This has brought about the idea that for any crime committed by a woman, a man has some contribution to it thus offering them with minimal punishment as compared to men. To this we can then say feminist criminology is the study women and crimes in the society. Thus, the paper is entitled to assess the strengths and weakness of this study in the society. It will major on some of the feminist theories as well as suggestions driven by major feminists in the world. Strengths of Feminist Criminology Having to study the relationship between crime and women, the paper will look at the positive contribution that the study have had to the society. This may be to female only or to the society as a whole. To start, the study has contributed much on women crime in the society. In the past, the crime and criminal justice system had no attention on women crime as they viewed them helpless human being in the society (Laurie 1992 pp 24-54). This is contrary to the existence of feminist criminology whereby the department now focuses more on women and crime and studies the relation as to why female are involved to some crimes in the society. This has given women better position as it has enabled them to attain same powers in society just as men, thus reduction of gender discrimination in the society. The movement has resulted to some critiques on existing theories which have led to proper evaluation of theories and their significance and relevance in explanation of women’s crime in the society (Gelsthorpe 2002 23-26). In regard to the strain theory, feminists have critique it as it tend to betray the double standard in society. The theory views male crime offender as being normal and when a female commits the same crime, she is viewed as having some weakness. In relation to feminists, they have explained this theory to the society for better understanding which has resulted to better rights for women in the society. Women are viewed as being obedient and harmless to the society and thus they can not participate in crime with sober minds. According to feminists, they argue that, it is only the mad women who participate in crime. It is also thought out that neglection of men’s responsibility may result to increase in women crimes in society. According to rational choice theory, it states that a man is a reasoning actor to weigh ends and means, benefits and costs and formulate a rational choice (Laurie 1992 pp 24-54). Thus, they are entitled to women provision and protection in society. Therefore whenever a woman participates in crimes it is viewed as failure of men in their responsibility, example, a woman may engage to prostitution or shop lifting because of low economic empowerment from men in the society. Therefore, according to feminist criminology, they protect the rights of women for the action directing the punishment for the crime to men. This has educated men on their responsibility to women in society thus giving women more privilege than before. In relation to the support that they offer to women in society, they have been able to create more chances for women in society in relation to job opportunities, education and even prestige in community. In the past, women were not allowed to take up some courses such as law, medicine and engineering, but with the development of feminism in society, they have been able to get the chance to have to study same course as men and have same job opportunity as men regardless of their gender in society. Weakness of Feminist Criminology As much as the department has led to positive changes in criminology, it has at the same time contributed negatively to the society. With development of feminist consciousness, crime rate among women have continued to increase over years (Adler & Adler 1975 142-167). This has been to their ironical agreement to with the traditional criminology body that crime is a male problem. Thus women who are found to commit crime in society, they are released to the society unpunished. This has resulted to careless lifestyle among women in society, they can now engage into prostitution freely without thinking about their dignity in the society. The department has been silent on attempts to identify universal explanation of crime that will operate to both men and women in the society. They have opted to take this stand as they aim to protect women from any harsh punishment at prisons. This is viewed to protect criminal women in society thus increasing the rate of criminals among women. Feminist criminology takes much of their time on development of the department other than examining the connection between crime and women. They are busy strategising on ways they can use to increase the number of women at the department other than researching on the reasons as to why women commit crime, come up with ways to help them in refraining from crime in society and better method to use to punish criminal women (Adler & Adler 1975 142-167). This has resulted to high number of women in prison due to increase in crime among female sex in society. Feminist criminology has rejected the male stream assumption of reality and truth in relation to women. Born free and independent like the other of God’s creatures, women are bound by male stream determinism to become “the other”. According to researchers, it has been clear that, determinism and feminism are un-detached and thus one has to work each of them in relation to the other. Determinism, suggests that human action is determined by forces independent of will where as feminism suggests that structuring of sexuality, production, socialization and reproduction which places women at disadvantage can be deconstructed by collective will. Thus determinism prevents any change among women where as feminism includes tools of transformational politics which can develop more democratic social order (Daly & Maher 1998 pp 87-134) In relation to feminist criminology, they have opted to stream line both determinism and feminist on one side which have ended up creating problem among the women in society. Feminism is also included in subjects such as crime and gender and women as offender are in most cases discussed within the context of sexual and petty offences such as shop lifting and prostitution. This has offered feminist criminology inadequate information about criminology as the subject focuses on the sex of the criminal other than on the crime itself. In regard to this, they have specialised on theories of male criminal behaviour and crime (Daly & Maher 1998 pp 87-134). This sexism concept in criminology is more in keeping with Gelsthorpe’s critique of accumulated wisdom about women offenders. In her critique she says that. Women are isolated from issue of crime in regard to their sex and this gender issue influences the sentencing, imprisonment and punishment of female gender in the society (Gelsthorpe & Morris 1990 144-152). This has led to many accusations from feminist to the police, judges and welfare institutions for assuming generalisations about crimes. They tend to think that crime are for men and not women and in case a woman commits a crime, it does not mean that she is bad but she might be mad. This concept has led to neglection of crimes committed by women in the society. In feminist criminology, they assume that when a woman commits a crime she might be mad and gone against their natural biological aspect. This is to the fact that, women are expected to be obedient and weakness of compliance. They are expected to conform, obey and benefit society and men, thus giving them less chance opportunity to commit any offence in the society. In relation to prostitution crimes, they are thought to have uncontrollable sexuality thus calling for protection form the men in the society (Laurie 1992 24-54). They view such crime to be committed as result of poverty among women in the society which result them to be economically disempowered and result to crime such as prostitution and shop lifting. Feminist criminology has led to development of negative theories. It has failed to include the problem of difference among the sexes in the society Conclusion In conclusion we can say that, as much as feminist criminology came about to protect women rights in society as well as represent them in criminal justice system in our counties, they have to think critically on judgement that they put into action. They have to be able to relate their interest in relation to the society as a whole, what type of society do they want in future; Crime free society or a society with criminal women? It has been evident that, with their view of crime is males’ problem; it will result to more criminal women. References: Adler, F. & Adler, H. Sisters in Crime McGraw Hill Publishers 1975 pp 142-167 Allen, H. Justice Unbalanced Open University Press 1987 pp5-76 Carlen, P. & Worall, A. Gender, Crime & Justice Open University Press 1987 pp145-187 Daly, K. & Maher, L. Criminology at the Crossroads Feminist Readings in Crime & Justice New York Oxford University Press 1998 pp 87-134 Gelsthorpe, L. & Morris, A. Feminist Perspective in Criminology University of Michigan University Press 1990 pp144-152 Gelsthorpe, L. Feminist Perspective in Criminology University of Michigan University Press 2002 pp 23-26 Laurie, F. Feminist Theory London Cornell University Press 1992 pp24-54 Read More