Naming Oneself Criminal: Gender Difference in Offenders’ Identity Negotiation

Abstract

This qualitative research examines gender differences in offenders'ability to negotiate a positive identity once the pejorative labels of criminal, prostitute, drug dealer, and incompetent parents have been imputed onto them. In-depth semi-structured focused interviews were conducted with a purposeful information-rich sample of eight male and eight female offenders. Content analysis reveals that males were much more adept than female offenders at juggling with conventional and street norms to justify and/or resist stigmatizing labels in order to construct a favorable identity. Appeal to such personal strengths as know-how, competence, loyalty, and a code of honor allowed male offenders to challenge the boundaries between conventional and delinquent worlds. Concomitantly such an appeal gave rise to a sense of efficacy perception and an optimistic explanatory style. In contrast, even though female offenders were able to justify the labels of drug dealer, prostitute, and thief by appeal to higher loyalties and reject that of insane, all their justifications collapsed when having to negotiate the identity of incompetent mother. Female offenders' negative internal attributions and deprivation of the normative center-motherhood resulted in apathy, anomie, and lack of confidence in their ability to do something worthwhile. Rehabilitation guidelines would build female offenders' personal strengths while redirecting those exhibited by male offenders into lawful enterprises.

Identity Construction, Self Perceptions, and Criminal Behavior of Incarcerated Women

“…Young women seem to define themselves in relation to what others think, making it more difficult for women to resist stigmatizing labels and terminate social relationships that devalue her. In other words, women seemed to be less able than men to create a more favorable identity that resisted stigmatizing labels (Geiger and Fischer 2005). This is likely linked to level of self esteem.…”

“…The way a woman believed how other people viewed her appearance, manners, character, and performance was believed to have an effect on the way she ultimately viewed herself. If a woman devalued her image and did not have outside support to reject those feelings, she was more likely to internalize the negativity (Geiger and Fischer 2005).…”

“…Former felons between the ages of 34 and 52 years who were also mothers went through a process of identity negotiation by ''idealizing motherhood'' to look for explanations of the negative identity of being an incompetent mother (Geiger and Fischer 2003). The process of ''identity negotiation'' involved acknowledging responsibility for her actions (Scott and Lyman 1968).…”

“…The process of ''identity negotiation'' involved acknowledging responsibility for her actions (Scott and Lyman 1968). A woman evaluated her behavior, roles, and identities that may involve reduced responsibility or justification of the deviant behavior (Geiger and Fischer 2003). The literature is unclear what these processes are like for younger women in a different life stage.…”

The Relationship Between Neutralizations and Perceived Delinquent Labeling On Criminal History in Young Offenders Serving Community Orders

“…According to Geiger and Fischer (2005), the deviant label will only "stick" to the extent that it "cannot be neutralized, resisted, and cast off as alien to the self" (p. 195). Significantly, the majority of juvenile delinquents do not accept the delinquent label Chassin, Eason, & Young, 1981;Chassin, Presson, et al, 1981;Erickson, n.d.).…”