Crime and Gender 1600 -1900, Essay Example

Introduction

According to recent criminal justice reports and studies, it is evident that the number of women criminal activities are less compared to men involvement in criminal activities in the society (Van der Heijden, 2013). This is mainly because men usually involve in several public activities and also have high freedom and opportunities in the society.  Several scholars and researchers also argued sex and gender differences between men and women also contribute majorly towards the historical variation of criminal rates in the society (Van der Heijden, 2013).

Therefore, the main purpose, aim and objective of this research paper is to describe and outline comparative and historical variation of crime and gender from early 1600 to late 1900. The paper will also include a conceptual framework based on public roles of male and female individuals in the society as well as their major impact on gender differences in the European society especially around 1600 to 1900.

Research Problem

According to a number of criminal justice reports and publications, historical data from Europe, France, and Netherlands indicate women played a major role towards various criminal activities in the society, especially in the early twentieth century (Van der Heijden, 2013). This studies also indicate that women involvement in criminal activities during this period were mainly through offenses such as infanticide, witchcraft, and other prostitution based practices (Callahan, 2013). However, male individuals are mostly involved in criminal activities such as robbery, property theft and other violence based criminal activities. In early 1600 and late 1900, around twenty and fifty percent of the property crimes committed by women included theft, burglary, and other robbery activities (Moehling, & Piehl, 2009). Despite this, due to the patriarchal structures in the society female percentage in crime decreased to a number percentage especially in the nineteenth century (Van der Heijden, 2013).  The main factor that provides high criminal rates between male and female individuals in the society include public roles and gender differences in the society (Freedman, 2011).  Political, social, socio-cultural and economic factors are also some of the factors that contributed largely to crime and gender differences in the society especially around 1600 to 1900 (Van der Heijden, 2013).  Furthermore, women usually commit fewer crimes than men since women are more confined to domestic activities (Van der Heijden, 2013).

On the other hand, men usually have the high freedom to engage in public and criminal activities in the society (Van der Heijden, 2000).   Separation of public roles and private spheres has caused gender crimes in the society. However, this model is problematic based on its focus on labor participation of men and women in the society (Van der Heijden, 2013). Moral, religious and legal norms about males and females should be considered towards the determination of criminal behaviors and other public activities of individuals in the society (Van der Heijden, 2013).  Urbanization, family systems, and living standards also contribute to crime and gender differences in various countries including Europe, England, Germany as well as Italy and Netherlands (Van der Heijden, 2013). In that sense, there is a lot of discontinuity towards gender and crime rates among men and women in society especially around early 1600 and late 1900 due to public roles attributed to men and women (Van der Heijden, 2013). There is also a high historical variation of crime rates and gender activities in the society due to moral values, legal norms, social conditions, family structures as well as due to economic and political factors (Van der Heijden, 2013).

References

Callahan, K. (2013). Women Who Kill: An Analysis of Cases in Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth-Century London. Journal of Social History, 46(4), 1013-1038.

Freedman, E. B. (2011). “Crimes which startle and horrify”: Gender, Age, and the Racialization of Sexual Violence in White American Newspapers, 1870-1900. Journal of the History of Sexuality, 20(3), 465-497.

Moehling, C., & Piehl, A. M. (2009). Immigration, Crime, and Incarceration in Early Twentieth-Century America. Demography, 46(4), 739-763.

Van der Heijden, M. (2013). Crime and Gender 1600-1900: A Comparative Perspective. Law, Crime and History. Criminal Justice Collection,  3(1), 136-170.

Van der Heijden, M. (2000). Women as Victims of Sexual and Domestic Violence in Seventeenth-Century Holland: Criminal Cases of Rape, Incest, and Maltreatment in Rotterdam and Delft. Journal of Social History, 33(3), 623.