Theoretical Analysis
TropJ
victimologyonline1.pptxVictimology: Fear of Crime/Victimization
Victimologists study various topics
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Fear of crime
Fear of crime: a psychological state of concern, worry, and anxiety about being victimized
Fear is subjective, so not always objective
(e.g., the elderly less likely to be victimized but fear – as measured various ways – doesn’t decrease with age: the elderly feel vulnerable and vulnerability can increase fear)
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Quote from Jack Levin of Northeastern University…Chronicle of Higher Education (2003) regarding child abductions
“The perception is that child abductions are rampant. Of course, we get that from media coverage. The number of abductions by strangers this year is no higher – and may be lower– than other years. The difference is that cases that ordinarily make local news are now receiving national play. Some news directors and editors speculated, based on a couple of high-profile cases, that maybe there is a trend here. Once they questioned whether there was a trend, they in effect produced it, because then any case, no matter where it occurred and no matter what the details, became elevated to a national
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story. And there was a lot of media hype and public hysteria. One media outlet even called this the summer of abduction. Once you speculate that there might be an epidemic you can easily create the impression that there is one by piecing together the cases that in any given year are out there. So there is no rise, there is no epidemic, it’s not rampant. Fear is rampant but not the risk…There are so many more perils that our kids face every day. They are more likely to be killed by friends and family members than by strangers. The number of homicides of children by strangers is relatively few, probably about 150 a year. If you’re looking at the number of murders by strangers in abduction, it’s probably about 70 a year. Considering that there are 70 million kids under
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the age of 15, the chances are literally one in a million. Not that I want to minimize the 70 incidents, but when we compare them to the perils our kids face every day, abduction is not high on the list of bad things that are likely to happen.”
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Questions to ponder
1) How much fear is good fear (e.g., engaging in crime prevention measures that reduce the probability of victimization, teaching children crime prevention measures) and how much fear is not good fear (e.g., an elderly person afraid to leave the house)?
Regarding the time period since September 11, 2001, fear of terroristic-crime has also been prevalent. During periods of war in U.S. history, examples of civil liberty curtailment have occurred to be changed in the period after the war.
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So, is fear of crime good (as it causes us to engage in safety measures) or is some of it bad? You decide.
2) Should the fear of crime be based on objective factual information rather than just the perception?
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Sources of fear of crime (Silberman and Sheely)
Do you agree with them?
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1) Urban society: humans tend to equate strangers with dangerousness
The fact that we live in an urban society sets the backdrop for enhanced fear.
Life in an urban society is a paradox. We fear strangers and in an urban society more time spent in the context of strangers. The irony is that a good percentage of crime (e.g., a large percentage of homicides and rapes) committed by those we know.
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2) Personal experience:
The relationship of personal experience is probably not enough to account for the fear of crime. Studies show crime victims differ little from non-victims in terms of certain measures of fear (e.g., perceptions of crime trends, perception of chances of being attacked/robbed, and fear of walking alone in one’s neighborhood). Of course, crime victims do experience the impact of victimization.
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3) Political campaigns: politicians have used fear (of crime and during the last decade fear of the crime of terrorism) consistently and often as a hot button issue
A politician will often use the fear of crime to suggest that s/he if elected will combat crime.
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4) Media (they argue the greatest influence)
A) Crime as a national problem: mass communication shrinks the globe (it could happen to me)
A heinous crime that is statistically extraordinarily improbable (even though tragedy can happen to any one person) seems more probable as the coverage of victims – who seem like ordinary people with whom we can identify – shapes perceptions. On the positive side, the same is true of major lottery winners and yet that is also statistically extraordinarily improbable.
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B) Selective crime news coverage
(Crimes that make national news shape our perceptions the most)
(Crimes that make local news will vary whether a person is in an urban or rural area)
Roshier: factors influencing crime news selection
1) seriousness of offense
2) unusual events associated with the crime
3) sentimental or dramatic events
4) involvement of famous or high status individuals
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Generally, we are more likely to be victimized by property crime than violent crime but crime news coverage tends to focus far more attention on violent crime. That shapes perception.
(e.g., If an 88-year-old is assaulted and injured, it will probably get more extensive news coverage than a 21-year-old. So, easily, the elderly in a community can perceive that they are at greater risk.
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C) Entertainment:
The only obligation is to entertain. Crimes that are the least committed (i.e., violent) shown most in media and those most committed (i.e., property) shown least.
This gets to the second question: Should fear of crime be based on objective information?
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I don’t know of too much research in this area. But, this is an example of a study that tried to ascertain how much objective vs. factually incorrect information is contained in media presentations. Epstein chose a very serious crime as there is a more limited number of mass media presentations.
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Epstein’s study: comparing factual and erroneous information
A study of 172 serial killer films from 1930 through the1990s. Those films “having a plot in which a single offender kills multiple victims over a period of time with some identifiable pattern” were utilized.
Various film genres: crime action, psychological thrillers, horror, and slasher
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Accurate information *comparing with information criminologists have collected*
1) age: older than typical criminal
2) race: mostly white
3) gender: mostly male
4) identifiable pattern (e.g., victim-type, method or a combo)
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Inaccurate information
1) Most basic distortion: not presented as human (the reality) but portrayed as Mythic monsters (and thus not really human)
20 percent: supernatural (e.g., vampires, werewolves, demons, possessed, or alien)
60 percent: superhuman: shown as having extraordinary strength and physical abilities as well as the capacity to recover from what should be fatal circumstances (e.g., being shot)
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The eminent 20th century political philosopher Hannah Arendt referred to “the banality of evil” in describing Nazi war criminals. Levin and Fox, two of the leading experts on multiple murder, argue that one of the most frightening things about serial murderers is that they are “extraordinarily ordinary” and if they were not, they would not in many cases, be able to escape detection for so long.
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2) Females
Real: typically kill vulnerable (children, elderly, and sick)
Film: for a reason: to avenge a gang rape, motivated by an evil supernatural force, to avenge a wrong against a significant male figure, etc.
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3) Males
Real: to dominate a less powerful victim
Film: empowered by actions; for example, while misogynistic yet for sake love/family
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4) Victims
Real: vulnerable; victims more likely to be women, children, and young men
Film: victims are adults and equally distributed between the sexes
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Thus, shown as better in film than they are in real life.
Considering that both factual and non-factual information is contained, Epstein argues that the viewer can leave thinking that s/he has learned something about the topic. You might argue that anyone who gets information from entertainment media is foolish. But, it is still hard to argue that media doesn’t shape our perceptions
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So, back to the question. Should fear be based on statistically factually correct information about crime?
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Crime Victims: Dawn and Sangrey
W.B. Yeats
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned
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Crime victims can experience:
Physical injury
Emotional injury (the invisible wound, often overlooked); people can express it differently and some are more/less resilient than others
Every crime is an act of violation
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What is threatened?
1) Development of trust:
Sense that the world is safe and a reasonably predictable place
Sense that people can be trusted
2) Autonomy: ability to take charge of one’s life: a central aspect of adulthood
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E.g.,
Pocket picking, purse snatching, auto theft
Violation of extension of self—property
Loss of trust
Threat to autonomy
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Burglary
Violation of extension of self—home
Loss of trust
Threat to autonomy
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Robbery
Violation of extension of self—personal possessions
Loss of trust
Loss of autonomy
Threat to survival
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Robbery with assault
Violation of extension of self—personal possessions
Loss of trust
Loss of autonomy
Threat to survival
Physical injury to external self
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Sexual assault
Violation of self
Loss of trust
Loss of autonomy
Physical injury to external self
Violation of internal self
Studies are clear that this crime causes greater problems for victims than others.
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Homicide
Ultimate violation of self: the destruction of person
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Question to ponder
Do you think that as a society we have moved far enough to assist victims over the last couple of decades (shelters, victim impact statements, rape shield laws, etc.) or do you think that we can do more?
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