Building your own lifeboat: Working‐class male offenders talk about economic crime

Abstract

This study examines the ways in which a group of working-class men serving custodial sentences and probation orders for money-related crimes talk about criminal activity and the implications of this talk for their gender identity. Using a critical social-psychological approach, we carried out nine semi-structured group discussions in probation centres and one open prison and then analyzed the transcripts using a combination of grounded theory and discourse analytic methods. The men critiqued dominant constructions of crime and argued that their criminal activity was justified in two related ways. First, they drew on a discourse of male breadwinning to argue that they were expected to provide for their families. Second, they argued that those now suffering under the broken promises made by the State should not be expected to conform to its rules. For the majority of men, earning through crime was talked about as a last resort and the parameters of 'what they did to whom' were informed by a Robin Hood-type cultural narrative. Finally, the study contextualizes and critically explores these patterns of discourse and their rhetorical use from a historical and structural perspective.

Alcohol consumption and masculine identity among young men

“…The corollary of this position is that some men may use excessive alcohol consumption in efforts to enhance their masculine status. This process echoes the findings in previous research that men may turn to unhealthy and/or antisocial masculine behaviours if other means of gaining 'masculine' credit are not available (Messerschmidt, 2000;Willott & Griffin, 1999). The finding that men use masculine competence in domains such as sport to excuse a disinclination toward drinking suggests that encouraging healthy 'masculine' behaviours such as sport will provide health benefits, and may also reduce the potential harms associated with alternative health-compromising behaviours used for constructing masculine identities.…”

“…Research reveals that men may use 'masculine' behaviours such as sexual violence or economic crime to assert their masculine identities when such identities are challenged or questioned (Messerschmidt, 2000;Willott & Griffin, 1999). This suggests that if alcohol consumption is seen to be a masculine behaviour, then men who are insecure in their masculine identities may use alcohol consumption to demonstrate masculine competence.…”

Students versus locals: Young adults' constructions of the working‐class Other

“…Indeed, a number of researchers have been addressing this issue in recent years, especially from the perspectives of feminist, critical and discursive psychology (e.g. Parker, 1999; Phoenix & Tizard, 1996; Walkerdine, 1996; Willott & Griffin, 1999).…”

Financial Crimes: Psychological, Technological, and Ethical Issues

“…We need opportunity (or perceived opportunity, given that some financial criminals clearly misunderstood whether that misbehaviour would be undetected and unprosecuted). We also need rationalisation, with offenders excusing their actions (Benson 1985) or indeed justifying them as an acceptable aspect of employment (Willott and Griffin 1999). Some offenders seem to truly believe that they have done no wrong … or persuade others that they have such belief.…”