Crime as Process : An Exploratory Inquiry

The aim of the thesis is to theoretically discuss and problematizing the influence of gender and sex throughout the crime as process in Sweden. The issue of gender, criminality and a system for justice will be discussed from different angles to identify, understand and problematize the different parts of the process.The research question has been: In what way may theories, research and knowledge give understanding regarding the socially constructed gender within the crime as process in an overall perspective?Different theories and examples of research and other knowledge for each step in crime as process is presented in order to understand the impact of gender. The context is delimited to Sweden, Swedish law, crime fighting and courts as well as corrective instances in Sweden. In this project, the model used for the reflection is first and foremost allowing a systematic work through of the crime as process in order to identify and formulate patterns of interest. The model is used to drive the theoretical discussion forward.The moving between sex and gender considering crime and criminality opens several challenges. They contest perceptions on crime and criminality, on its development, its extent and its appearance. The constructed systems and ideas on the importance of gender is probably of importance but are at the same time questioning, at a fundamental level, a strong tradition. Since the queries are at fundamental level it is probably hard to address theories’ accuracy built on these premises. There are too many, simultaneously effecting processes, of different directions, to understand neither good or bad nor right or wrong. What could be said is that biological sex does not suffice to understand neither crime, criminality, crime fighting nor its descriptions. If we assume the society creates all the above mentioned: how would it look if we fully accepted gender as a key variable