ROLE CONDITIONING THEORY - AN EXPLANATION FOR DISPARITY IN MALE AND FEMALE CRIMINALITY?

• NCJ Number: 48400
• Journal: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 9, Dated: (MARCH 1976) Pages: 25-35
• Author(s): J A SCUTT
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Southdown Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

VARIOUS THEORIES OF ROLE CONDITIONING ARE NOTED AND THEIR FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN REALITY IS UNDERSCORED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT FEMALE DELINQUENCY IS AS MUCH A RESULT OF PEER PRESSURE AS MALE DELINQUENCY.

Abstract

MANY CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE CRIMINAL CONDUCT BY POINTING OUT THAT FROM EARLIEST YEARS GIRLS ARE TAUGHT TO BE PASSIVE AND NUTURING, WHILE BOYS ARE TAUGHT TO BE AGGRESSIVE. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT ONE REASON FOR GREATER CRIMINALITY AMONG BOYS IS THAT, UPON REACHING ADULTHOOD, THERE IS NO SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE OUTLET FOR THEIR AGGRESSION. GIRLS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE EXPECTED TO STEP INTO THE ROLES OF WIFE AND MOTHER. ALTHOUGH FULLY HALF OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN HAVE MOTHERS WHO WORK, THIS EMPLOYMENT IS SEEN AS AN EXTENTION OF THE NUTURING ROLE. IT IS TO EARN MONEY FOR THE FAMILY, NOT TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE MOTHER. THE PROBLEM WITH THESE THEORIES IS THAT GIRLS ARE OFTEN AS FRUSTRATED AS BOYS. HOWEVER, THEIR FRUSTRATION USUALLY ERUPTS IN PHYSICAL ILL HEALTH OR EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. THIS IS A RESULT OF CULTURAL CONDITIONING. VARIOUS CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT THE MAJORITY OF GIRLS SEEN IN JUVENILE COURT HAVE COMMITTED OFFENSES WHICH WOULD NOT BE OFFENSES IF THEY WERE OLDER -- USUALLY RUNNING AWAY AND LIVING WITH A BOY. THE LITERATURE ASSUMES THAT THIS IS MERELY A PREMATURE ASSUMPTION OF THE MOTHERING ROLE. OTHER STUDIES, HOWEVER, SHOW GIRLS ARE WELL AWARE THAT SOCIETY CONSIDERS IT WRONG TO SET UP HOUSEKEEPING TOO EARLY. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS THE RESULT OF PEER GROUP PRESSURE AND OFTEN IS DONE IN DEFIANCE OF THE PARENTS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT GIRLS ARE ACTING OUT AGGRESSION AGAINST SOCIETY JUST AS BOYS DO WHEN THEY COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY. CULTURAL CONDITIONING JUST TEACHES THEM TO FIND DIFFERENT FORMS FOR THEIR AGGRESSION. EXTENSIVE REFERNCE NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (GLR)