ABSTRACT
This chapter builds on Chapter 1 by examining the ways in which the problem of crime has been understood with gendered assumptions in mind. By focusing on men and constructions of masculinity, this chapter begins by exploring key theoretical approaches to understanding male criminality, including the seminal work of Messerschmidt, Connell, Sutherland and Cohen. Through the lens of masculinity, the relationship between gender and crime will be further considered with reference to theories of hegemonic masculinity, sex role and categorical theory among other male centric explanations for crime and criminality. In the second half of the chapter, our attention is turned from perpetration to victimisation. Here the chapter considers how men are portrayed as victims and why male victimisation has been rendered invisible, particularly in interpersonal crimes such as sexual assault and domestic violence. The resulting discussion reveals nuances in how criminology must engage with questions of sex and gender in understanding crime perpetration and victimisation.
