Citation

Murphy E, Brown J. Leg. Crim. Psychol. 2000; 5(2): 285-290.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, British Psychological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1348/135532500168047

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Objectives. This study extends work by Horn and Hollin (1997) in examining the role of sex, gender role and masculinity/femininity of occupational culture in expression of attitudes towards male and female offenders. Methods. Measures included Melvin, Gramling, and Gardner's (1985) attitudes towards prisoners and the Bem (1974) sex role type inventory (BSRI). Respondents (N= 157) represented masculine (engineering), feminine (nursing) and neutral (radiography) occupations. Results. There were no statistically significant main effects and only one significant interaction: men or women, having feminine gender values, working in a masculine occupation were harsher on women offenders than any other combination. Conclusion. Those with more masculine orientation had similar attitudes towards offenders as respondents having a feminine gender role orientation. The interactional effect suggests an influence of occupational socialization rather than social gender expectations. The evidence for a convergence of attitudes towards male and female offenders remains inconclusive. Possible applications to the criminal justice system are discussed.

Language: en