Essay Sample on Why Men Are More Likely to Commit Violent Crimes

Is a man more likely to murder someone, or break into a house? Some may say yes, and it is because of men's hormone levels. Some blame lack of control and others say it's due to not having a positive male role model in the home growing up. Whether it's down to gender, social factors, or simply the biological make-up of their brain, there are many reasons and factors that come into play when a man commits an act of violence. 

Testosterone – is the magnet for crime. Although testosterone is a hormone that can be found in both male and female bodies, males tend to generate higher levels of this hormone elevating violence and aggression within them. Studies and research done by neuroeconomist Paul Zak, have shown that if a person has low oxytocin levels, they are more likely to hurt someone than to trust them. By increasing these levels of oxytocin, it has been demonstrated that a person will be less inclined to betray or hurt another person. However, there is a problem with this theory. Just as weight fluctuates during the day, so do testosterone levels base on activity level and mental stimulation that occurs throughout the day. Due to this, there has been extensive research by Diana Fishbein, about the levels of this hormone and its relation to violent crime. Most of the research that is carried out on the psychological factors of crime are based on the Freudian Theory. "Freud believed that the mind is responsible for both conscious and unconscious decisions it makes", The findings have led to ways to help "treat" sex offenders by administering them with female hormones to balance out the testosterone and have proven to be successful in the reduction of sex offences, on the other hand, there has been no alter in reducing other violent crimes. 

Head of Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), Karyn McCluskey stated "Young people need role models before the age of ten". Experts like McCluskey say that if a person does not have a positive role model growing up, they may feel that they have no one to look up to in their home or community. Which will then in turn lead them to seek to fill that gap by turning to those committing crime. The reasons for turning to people who are involved in crime can differ depending on the circumstances the person is in, such as poverty. Criminologists have found that in areas of high poverty levels the amount of crime being committed is much higher than in "better-off" areas, for example, North Lancashire had 18,070 recorded crimes in 2020-21 compared to East Lothian at 3,932 recorded crimes in the same year. Many former gang members will agree that their parent's attitude and commitment toward their child will greatly affect the child's outcome in life. In the 1970's Mr Thomas was a former gang member and states that "if parents do not spend time with their children, then their child is more likely to end up down the wrong road". While the lack of role models plays a big part in why men may commit a crime so does society's perception of masculinity and how damaging and provocative it can turn out to be.

Sadly, we live in a world where men are not allowed to cry or show weakness. This very statement is one of the ways toxic masculinity can drive a person to commit an act of violent crime. From a young age men are taught that they have to be strong (mentally and physically), they are not allowed to show emotions, and are often told to "man up". This can then lead to emotional build-up as there is no way to relieve it and can further go on to them either hurting themselves or others, as violence is the only way to achieve a sense of relief. There is a lot of stigma around men seeking mental health support as they have been taught that again showing emotion is a weakness and should not be done. "Surveys have shown that over one-third of Scottish men have experienced suicidal thoughts" and that's only the ones that have been recorded, the point is if more is done to reduce toxic masculinity and help men receive the right care they need from the start, there won't be a build-up of those emotions then leading to an act of violent crime as a result. It shouldn't excuse the severity of committing a crime, especially a violent one, but it definitely plays a major role towards it. Do you really want to live in a world where society thinks and behaves like this? 

Shockingly, 95% of the prison population in Scotland is male. The reasons why people are incarcerated can range from something that causes less of an impact on society like fraud or dangerous driving to something that has a major impact on society like homicide, rape and human trafficking. While these crimes can be committed by any gender most of the time it's men who commit more serious violent types of crime. In 2019 the number of men in Scottish prisons was 16031 compared to 1263 women. 84% of men in prison are there for committing violence against another person. 98% of sexual offences were also male. While these statistics can be quite shocking and hard to hear/read, it is the reality of the world we live in and sadly one I've personally had to endure. 

Overall, there are many different factors that support my statement, one being that testosterone can have a huge impact on the way men think, feel and act and is responsible for the aggressive and violent behaviours that some men often portray. Having a positive role model is also very important for the growth and development of young men as this is when they would learn their important morals and actions that are vital for daily life, if this is not the case it can often lead to them joining gangs or committing crime to gain a sense of leadership and achievement. One of the last factors that come into play, is toxic masculinity. From a young age, men are taught what they can and cannot feel or show; they have to be tough and seen as strong and fierce. Personally, I feel that some men are constantly being provoked, shut down, dismissed, and told to "man up" and eventually they are going to burst, whether they take it out on themselves or others. There is very little access to support for males and sometimes it can just be down to the chemical make-up of their brain. Thus, is the reason why men are more likely to commit violent crimes.