Feminist Theory Response Paper

A Review of Theory Based Criminal Justice Responses Two possible theories explaining child maltreatment are the feminist theory and the choice theory of crime. First, a brief review provides each theory an avenue to explaining how it relates to the crime. Next, a discussion of both theories includes forming potential criminal justice responses. Finally, actual criminal justice system responses are examined providing insight into how the implantations relate to the theories given.
Feminist theory responses.
According to Allen and Lavender-Stott (2015), the feminist theory suggests that men are sensitive to informal sexual education in the sense of how they view women. Similarly, Thurston (2006) states that feminist theorists highlight a strong association between domestic abuse, which males overwhelmingly demonstrate against females, and the patriarchal inequality of gender power in society. Furthermore, a study of young men in a human sexuality class indicated that pornography discovered during childhood caused men to sensationalize and objectify women. Accordingly, men can look at women and female
children in this fashion. As a result, men are most likely to be sexual abusers of females. Certainly, life education is imperative about sexuality to help counter these tendencies. The education that schools provide should be more than a brief class, providing a thorough overview of gender equality along with proper sexual education. Furthermore, wives should be empowered to be the voice of their children and to be educated to identify possible child abuse. Equally important, adults, including mothers, need to be accountable for communicating potential child abuse. In fact, the criminal justice system has responded with repercussions for non-reporting of child abuse. According to Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014), mandatory reporters not reporting child abuse can result in a fine or imprisonment in most states.
Choice Theory Responses. Political scientist James Q. Wilson and psychologist Richard J. Herrnstein make the claim that people consciously and willingly choose their preferred actions and the consequences of such govern their behavior (Conklin, 2013). This claim is known as the choice theory is supported by how an abuser consciously makes choices throughout a period of four prerequisites prior to sexually abusing a child. For this reason, adults should be educated on how to identify someone who is progressing through this process along with the warning signs of a potential victim of child sexual abuse.
The U.S.
Department of Justice displays a website providing education on recognizing sexual abuse. Within the site contains many behaviors, which will enable the reader to better identify the warning signs of sexual child abuse. Moreover, the National Sex Offender Public Website lists warning signs that might suggest someone is sexually abusing a child. Consequently, using the information contained within the site is not an absolute method of identifying offenders or victims, but only as potentially identifying. Additionally, adults should become familiar with how to report crimes against juveniles. In Finkelhor and Ormrod’s (1999) document, Reporting Crimes Against Juveniles, crimes against children is studied in an effort to improve and expand the Nation’s efforts to better serve child victims by presenting the latest information about child
victimization.