Which of the following research findings supports the chivalry thesis?
A) For a given criminal offense, women receive harsher sentences than men.
B) Older women offenders are treated more aggressively than male offenders of the same age.
C) Police are less likely to arrest women than men for similar activities.
D) Women are more likely to commit small-scale property crimes than violent crimes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The chivalry thesis argues that women are treated more leniently by the criminal justice system because of traditional chivalric attitudes towards women. Option C supports this thesis because it suggests that police are more likely to exercise discretion in favor of women when deciding whether to arrest them for similar activities as men. The other options do not support the chivalry thesis. Option A suggests that women receive harsher sentences than men, which contradicts the thesis. Option B suggests that older women offenders are treated more aggressively than male offenders of the same age, which also goes against the thesis. Option D is irrelevant to the thesis as it does not address the issue of differential treatment of women in the justice system.

Which of the Following Research Findings Supports the Chivalry Thesis