Measures included Melvin, Gramling and Gardner's (1985) attitudes towards prisoners and the Bem (1974) sex role type inventory. Respondents (N = 157) represented masculine (engineering), feminine (nursing), and neutral (radiography) occupations. There were no statistically significant main effects and only one significant interaction: men or women, having feminine gender values, working in a masculine occupation, were harsher on women offenders than any other combination. Those with more masculine orientation had similar attitudes towards offenders as respondents having a feminine gender role orientation. The interactional effect suggests an influence of occupational socialization rather than social gender expectations. The evidence for a convergence of attitudes towards male and female offenders remains inconclusive. The article discusses possible applications to the criminal justice system. In practical terms, the findings suggest that awareness raising for investigators, training of the magistracy and briefing of potential jurors should point to the possible bias owing to crossover between gender values and the values of an occupation with respect to female offenders. Table, references