With a Focus on Gender or Race

CAROL COLLINS STUDENT 11423048 1 With a focus on familiarity or race, discuss whether the crook effective expert governing body is twisted. Society expects the fell arbitrator agreement of rules to provide umpire for every ace by protecting the innocent, to punish and convict the guilty, and to rehabilitate them in an elbow grease to stop them repique. It is supposed to give fair correctlyness for everyone, regard little of sexual practice, and much is written that suggests that the evil evaluator system is gender-biased. Gender bias was non formed by the justice system, but it does reflect the primeval conditions and attitudes of society.The cost of gender bias to society, the criminal justice system, and to the people indoors it is enormous. To discuss if the criminal justice system is gender-biased, an understanding should be reached regarding what is meant by the term gender. The word gender go off be backbreaking to define, and likewise how it differs from the term sex. Whilst the term sex refers to the psychological and biologic physiognomies that describe men and women, the term gender (The Free online Dictionary) refers to the roles that society considers to be appropriate for men and women, such as activities and behaviours.Categories of gender argon manly and feminine while sex categories be potent and female. whatsoever authors believe that the increase of females offending has increased due to the masculinization of womens behaviour during the Womens Liberation Movement in the 1970s, and is responsible for the increase numbers of women entrustting discourtesys. (Heidensohn, 1989 Adler, 1975). Aspects of sex do not vary between man societies, but aspects of gender may be very different (Bryant and Trueman, 2000).Sex-stereotypes be verbalize to be central to gender, which can be defined as the behaviours, attitudes, roles and beliefs that ar passed from generation to generation (Weinrich, CAROL COLLINS STUDENT 1 1423048 2 1980). Bias is defined as an inclination or preference that inhibits unsophisticated judgement. There ar two hears concerning whether men and women atomic number 18 toughened differently by the courts and the patrol. The first is the chivalry hypothesis, which is that women be treated with more respect, agreement and courtesy.It is stated in the chivalry opening that more leniency is condition to women than to men by the police, courts and the criminal justice system in general. It is said that male chivalry means that a cleaning lady is less in all probability to be charged by the police, and that the courts give lesser displaceences to women than men, even if they turn over kick inted the same crime as male counterparts. Women who are move to prison a good deal receive shorter sentences than men which does imply that women are treated more leniently (Heidensohn, 2002).Some authors state that the chivalry hypothesis becomes not so relevant if the crime s affiliated are the same, and sentencing varies very little between the sexes. It can be argued that the chivalry hypothesis provided works if the offender fits what is considered to be the female stereotypical, gendered role. The second view of different gender-treatment is when a muliebrity does not fit the stereotype of what are female norms, this double jeopardy theory becomes relevant, which results in much harsher sentencing (Carlen, 1985).It can be argued that in some cases that women are treated more severely by the criminal justice system because women are guilty of been doubly deviant by committing a crime they have not behaved in a way that is regarded to be a socially normal way for their gender to behave. It is excessively written that females who commit aggressive crimes are often treated more severely than men, who are aggressive because their behaviour is different from what is regarded as normal female behaviour (Paul and Baenninger, 1991 Gelsthorpe, 2003).CARO L COLLINS STUDENT-11423048 3 Campbell (1993) states that violent women must rival men or be mentally ill, because it is not how nice girls should behave according to Batchelor (2001). It could be seen that in some areas the gender bias within the criminal justice system that gender rivalry with the men has been the predominant force. Police officers and settle were interviewed by Hedderman and Gelsthorpe (1997) and were asked about the ways in which they made decisions.It is clear that women were wedded more leniencies if they have children, as their offences are treated as motive more than greed, for example if they had stolen goods from a shop it was because they fatalityed the goods for their family. provided if a man had stolen from a shop it would have been seen that his motivation was one of greed. There is evidence that the possible gender bias in the criminal justice system begins as soon as a woman is taken to the police station. Fawcett (2006) comments that women feel that police stations are unconnected places, artly because of the behaviour and sexist language within the police service. Women are in general less inclined to use their full to have legal representation, but this may be not only because they are often charged with less severe crimes, or it could be because they feel overwhelmed and fright in the male-dominated police station. only 20% of police officers are women, and only 18% of forensic officers are women. It is unclear whether police officers are expert to deal with women who have been victims of sophisticate, particularly when that is pertinent to the charges that have been brought against them.The dwelling portion states that women who are tending(p) prison sentences are stipulation shorter sentences than their male counterparts. This implies that women are treated more leniently by the criminal justice system. The individuals invoice of offending and the nature of the offence are taken into account, and accordin g to the Home Office, both the higher rate of CAROL COLLINS STUDENT-11423048 4 cautions issued to women, and the impose rate of custodial sentences, reflect that women are less belike to commit serious offences and that opposite(prenominal) criminal records are also taken into account.Offences that are committed by females tend to be less serious than those committed by men, and few women have previous criminal records. This indicates that, according to Trueman and Bryant (2003), on that point is not any sympathetic bias towards women. 27% of the women who are in prison are first-time offenders, which is more than twice the figure for men. This suggests that men offending for the first time are treated more leniently than women. 63% of women are serving custodial prison sentences for non-violent crimes, in contrast to 45% of men in prison. This suggests that women are sent to prison for furthermost less serious crimes than men.According to the 2001 census, women represented 5 1. 3% of the population of England and Wales, but only 6. 1% of the prison population were women. It states that more women are promising to be given community sentences, or to be discharged, and that they are much less likely to be given a custodial sentence than men (Home Office, 2003). Only 8% of the integral amount of people sentenced to a custodial prison sentence in 2001 was women. In the last ten years on that point has been an increase in the female prison population by 60% compared to an increase of 28% for men.The rise is explained by an increase in the mischievousness of the sentences given. It is possible that the introduction in 1997 of The Mandatory and Minimum Sentencing Act contrive restrictions on judges from using their own discretion when passing sentences. It is believed that the prison system in the United Kingdom was designed for men by men (Corston, 2007). Gender issues not only cause problems for women but also for the trans-sexual prisoners. New prison guidelines in 2006 were introduced to reform aspects of the prison system in order to reduce gender bias towards trans-sexual individuals.Sir David CAROL COLLINS STUDENT-11423048 5 Ramsbotham, prison inspector in 2000, stated that trans-sexual prisoners were at risk of serious health problems due to the bias against them that they had been denied treatment, and he stated that they should be given the same treatment as everyone else. As fewer women go to prison than men, at that place is a male-dominated prison system. Due to this, thither is discrimination against women in the prison system. There are fourteen womens prisons in England, are there are none in Wales ( prison Reform Trust, 2010).This suggests that for women to be sent to a womens prison it is probable that they may be incarcerated a long distance away from their families, causing isolation and emotional direction (Women in Prison, 2006). A woman is imprisoned on average 57 miles away from their committal address, and in 2007 over 800 women was held more than 100 miles away. This also suggests that women are often imprisoned in a higher home run prison than they need to be in. Due to the fact that there are fewer womens prisons than mens prisons, there are far fewer opportunities such as training or education (Hayes, 2007).Over the past ten years the media has foc employ on many controversial problems within women prisons with television documentaries such as Girls behind bars, 2011. The newspapers have used headlines such as Women burn, strangle and stab themselves in jail fossa (Bright, 2004). In the documentaries, any of the issues raised were indirectly a result of gender bias and the effect that it can have on the women inmates within the criminal justice system. Much of the emphasis of the programmes was about the mental illness that is caused by the lack of suitable prisons and facilities.This in turn often leads to self-harm, drug abuse and suicide. There is evidence that suggests that gender bias also exists in the criminal justice system against women who are victims of scandalise. It is believed that in thwart trials it is the female rape victim who is made to feel that she is on trial more than the male suspect (Walklate, 1989). CAROL COLLINS STUDENT-11423048 6 Baroness Stern was commissioned by the Government to do an independent paper into the on-going concerns in the amount of rape cases that that went to court and resulted in a conviction.In the report Stern suggested that the (estimated) 14% of account rapes that result in a conviction for rape or sexual assault was not low compared with other crimes. Of the rape cases that go to court, 58% result in a conviction. Stern describe that the figure would not improve under the present legal system (Williams, 2010). The Stern report (2011) suggested that improved care of the victim would improve the rates of conviction, as fewer victims and witnesses would withdraw from the process, which would improve th e possibility of a conviction. In 2005, only 6. % of rapes that were reported to the police and taken to court resulted in a conviction, compared to 35% of other criminal cases. In the United States of America (USA) the criminal justice system discriminates against men one point that is argued is that if a man commits a carrying out in the USA it is more than twenty times more likely that he leave behind be given the death penalisation. Whereas, if a woman murders a man, she is unlikely to be sentenced to death, however if she murders a child or another woman, she runs a higher risk of receiving a death sentence.Markedly, murdering a man is not significant enough to merit the death penalty (Farrell, 1993). According to Farrell, men do not speak up enough, publicize, or organise appeals, so that that biases against women are removed, and the biases against men remain. Information gathered shows that there is gender bias within the workforce of the criminal justice system. In 2008, only 24% of the police officers in England and Wales were women. Only 12% of women police officers had reached the position of Chief Inspector, compared to 27% who held the position of Constable.In CAROL COLLINS STUDENT- 11423048 7 2008, there were only 29 females who were members of the Chief Police Officers Association, out of 209 total members. A 1993 survey showed that nearly all the police women who took part in the survey had received some form of sexual harassment from fellow traveler male officers. There were also reports that 3 out of 10 had been subjected to undesired touching and to offensive insults. 66. 5% of barristers are men, compared to 33. 5% who are women. A taggering 91% of Queens give notice are men, compared to 9% who are women. A view could be taken that with gender bias amongst the employment ranks of the justice system, it is not surprising that there is gender bias within the criminal justice process of criminal prosecution. There are conflicting argume nts whether women suffer or benefit from bias during the sentencing for crimes. There is enough evidence to conclude that there is gender bias in the criminal justice system. There should be equal justice for all, yet the criminal justice system is failing women miserably.Women are at a disadvantage as offenders, suspects, defendants, and as employees. The system is failing female victims of violent crimes due to a lack of certificatory services. Far too many women are being imprisoned for non-violent crimes. Women are under-represented as employees within the system, principally amongst the senior police levels, the judiciary, CPS, Queens Counsel and within law firms. The criminal justice system and the Government need to address the discrimination that exists against women, and they need to put the issue of gender as central to the criminal justice system.Everyone has a gender or sex, and should be given the right not to be discriminated against. It is a human right to liberty, security, justice, and to not be given punishment without law. It is a human right to a fair trial ( pitying Rights Act, 2000). As certain that night will follow day, people will commit crimes, and the reactions to the crimes and the way in which gender CAROL COLLINS STUDENT- 11423048 8 differences are approached in the criminal justice system, for the foreseeable future, will stay the same, coloured by their gender.WORDS- 2312 REFERENCES Adler, F. , 1975. Sisters in wickedness The rise of the new female criminal. New York McGraw-Hill. Batchelor, S. , 2001. The Myth of Girl Gangs, savage referee Matters, Spring Issue, 43, pp. 26-27. Bright, M. ., Women burn, strangle and stab themselves in jail hell. Online (Updated 8 February 1984) addressable at http//www. guardian. co. uk/uk/2004/feb/08/ukcrime. prisonsandprobation1 Accessed 12 April 2012. Bryant, L. and Trueman , C. , 2000. History Learning site. online uncommitted at <http//www. historylearningsite. co. k/gender_bias_pun ishment. htm>Accessed 21 April 2012. Campbell, A. 1993. Men, Women and encroachment. New York Basic Books. Carlen, P. (1998) Sledgehammer Womens captivity at the Millennium, Macmillan Press Ltd Hound mills Basingstoke Hampshire London. Corston, B. 2007. Ministry of Justice illegal Justice Group. online <http//www. womeninprison. org. uk/userfiles/file/> Accessed 8 April 2012. Farrell, M. 1993 Online http//www. mikefarrell. org/activist/deathpenalty. html Fawcett, 2006. Fawcett Closing the inequality gap. Online (Updated 2006) Available at http//www. fawcettsociety. org. uk/index. asp? PageID=712 Accessed 12 April 2012 Hayes, S. C. , 2007. Women with learning disabilities who offend what do we cognise? British Journal of Learning of Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 35 (3), pp. 187-191. Heidensohn, F. ,1989. offensive activity and Society Sociology for a changing world. London Palgrave MacMillan. Heidensohn, F. , 2002. Gender and Crime. In M. Maguire, Morgan, R and Reiner, R. , eds. The Oxford handbook of criminology. 3rd ed. Oxford Oxford University Press.Herrington, V. and Nee, C. , 2005. Self-perceptions, masculinity and female offenders, Internet Journal of Criminology. online Available at <http//www. internetjournalofcriminology. com/Herrington%20&%20Nee%20-%20Self-perceptions,%20Masculinity%20and%20Female%20Offenders. pdf> Accessed 21 April 2012. Home Office, 2003. Statistics on Women and the Criminal Justice System Report. Available at<http//www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmhaff/193/19315. htm> Accessed 21 April 2012. Human Rights Act 2000.London HMSO. Legislation. gov. uk. Online Available at http//www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/1997/43/contents Accessed 12 April 2012. Paul, L. and Baenninger, M. (1991) Aggression by Women More myths and methods in Baenninger, R. (ed) Targets of violence and aggression. North Holland. Elsevier Science Publishing. Prison Reform Trust, 2010. Women in Prison. onli ne (Updated 1 August. ) Available at <http//www. prisonreformtrust. org. uk/uploads/documents/Women%20in%20Prison%20August%202010. pdf> Accessed 16 April 2012. Self-perceptions,