Gender Analysis of Crime/ViolenceMiller “Up It Up: Feminist Theories of Crime: Robbery as

a Case Study” (P&S 3)

2 Levels of Analysis:

1. Structural – Stratification of status and opportunity on the street

2. Interactional – The routine practice of “Doing gender” Masculinity & Femininity (Messerschmidt) are reproduced in interaction process

Motives and Causes are distinct: What does this mean?

Example of a motive?

Example of a causes of robbery?

Gender Analysis of CrimeMiller “Up It Up: Feminist Theories of Crime: Robbery as a Case

Study” (P&S 3)

Main Finding: The accomplishment of robbery reflects the structure and process

required by gender.

Implication 1: Gender influences the pattern and nature of criminal behavior

Implication 2: The requirements of the criminal act may be achieved in ways that reflect gendered strategies for doing crime

Question 1: How is gender useful in understanding how mugging is accomplished by men?

Question 2: Are female muggers doing femininity or masculinity? What are the implications of your answer?

Gender Analysis of Female CrimeMaher “A Reserve Army: Women and the Drug Market” (P&S7)Context: Crack Era – War on Drugs

Changes in Drug Control PolicyChanges in Drug Markets

Increased violence (peaks nationwide in 1994)Business is service-oriented (retail)

–Create and maintain demand for drugs–Supply products that meets this demand–Also offers auxillary services related to drugs/lifestyle

Business is basically Distribution (think Wal-Mart)Violence is a business tool

Required for accountability & legitimacy in underworld $Combined with assumptions about gender meant that ♀ are seen as unreliable, untrustworthy, risky for businessConsequences for underworld employment?

Gender Analysis of Female CrimeMaher “Women and the Drug Market” (P&S7)Gender Stratification of underworld opportunities: Pink collar, Blue collar and White collar work in the crack market?•Services/Positions offered in the Business:

•Job ladders: What is a reserve army?

Lower Status Higher Status

Steerers Selling

Copping Shooting Gallery Ops

‘Works’ Sales Managers

Street Docs King Pins

Steffensmeier’s Feminist Theory of Crime

Gender & GangsGangs are appearing in more places (>1000)

•Economic Conditions (deindustrialization, unemploy., pov.)•Diffusion of Gang Culture (copycat phenomena)

Traditional views•♂ Groups•Info on ♀ participation gained from ♂ gang members

Prevalence of ♀ membership?•20-40% of gang members•Gender composition of gangs •5% all ♀; 60% mixed (♂ dominated); 35% auxillary groups

Gender & GangsReasons ♀ become gang members?

•Social Context (high crime, economic disadvantage)–Gangs provide adaptation skills to community conditions–Exposure to gangs in underclass neighborhoods is high

•Family factors–Gang involved relatives–Family violence

»gangs provide some refuge from violent family»Source of meaningful relationships, bonding, etc.

•Peers–Status, companionship, excitement, protection, belonging–Popularity, recognition

Gender & GangsLife in the gang?Enhancement effects of gang membership:Delinquency

Drug use♀ members less involved than ♂ membersBut… ♀ members more involved than non-gang ♀ & ♂

Gender Stratification – status & opportunity tied to gender

violenceserious theftdrug deals (buys)

Gender & GangsConsequences of membership for ♀?Ambivalence about delinquent aspect of gang

Inconsistent with expectations for femininitySanctions for gender violations

results in a “Double Bind”deviant enough for gang membernot too deviant for being a girl

Gender InequalityObjectification of ♀ (dating, sexing in, etc.)Victimization by homies

Exiting♀ membership more likely to be adolescent limited

Childbirth has gendered consequences

Entanglement of Agency, Violence & law in the lives of Sexworkers (ER8)

• Most marginalized of all humans?

• Theories of gender and crime must account for sexworkers experiences.

Question:

Sexworkers – agents (offenders) or victims?

False dichotomy – prostitution is a practice that is actively pursuit of sexual exchanges & routine subjection to violence and other victimization

Entanglement of Agency, Violence & law in the lives of Sexworkers

• Separate spheres – criminalization of ♀ presence in the public sphere & subordination in the private – sexwork linked to urbanization

• Criminalization never sought to eliminate sexwork - ♂ demand combined with moral crusades push it to the margins of society

• Prostitute identity– Inferred from presence, appearance, cjs contact– Absent from customers experiences

Entanglement of Agency, Violence & law in the lives of Sexworkers

• The law defines some forms of violence as criminal and ignores/supports others – the public/private distinction illuminates this pattern

• Law does not recognize violence as criminal when victims are located in the private sphere

• Law is also concerned with regulating sexual morality• This combination results in the non-criminal character

of violence against women, and especially prostitutes• The law assumes that to be a victim, one must be

innocent. Known prostitutes are not innocent.

Entanglement of Agency, Violence & law in the lives of Sexworkers

Social Context– Economic – Drugs and crime

AOD use is important, but cause/effect is ?Family contexts (victimization)Copresent character of starting and continuing

• ♂ encouragement• Negotiation (rather than an individual rational choice)• Significance of power dynamics in negotiation• Sexwork is not a free choice, but a way to “get by”• Negotiations are based on conflict & violence