Crime statistics – from whatever society and time period – tell us that criminal behaviour is overwhelmingly a male phenomenon. One explanation for this, introduced in this podcast, is Gender Role theory.

This theory involves a number of concepts (such as primary and secondary socialisation, identity formation, masculinity and femininity) that can be linked synoptically to the AS Specification.

Key concepts covered in this podcast:

• Gender and crime

• Role theory

• Dramaturgical analogy

• Identity

• Learned social roles

• Primary socialisation

• Secondary socialisation

• Differential Association

• Informal social controls

• Risk

• Positive and negative sanctions

• Masculine identity

• Feminine identity