Victimization
Plmilano
WCJ3Theoriesonvictimization.pptx
Theories of Victimization
WCJ 3
History of Crime Victimization
Informal social control dominated the regulation of early societies
The victim, offender and the community were intimately involved with the response to violations of the social order deemed harmful.
Blood feuds
A shift in the treatment of crime and victims occurred with the formation of Nation-States in the 16th and 17th centuries.
During this period, crimes came to be redefined as an offense against the State, rather than against individuals
This lead to a dramatic decline in the victims’ participation in the formal criminal justice process
History of Victimology
Criminology the study of crime
Victimology emerged within the field of Criminology due to the realization of the lack of attention given to victims of crime
Victimology is the scientific study of victims of crime
Victim refers to those individuals who have suffered harm, however the term survivor is also used by practitioners, such as activists and service providers, to describe the same individuals
Identifying and Defining Victims of Crime
Social changes and social movements brought more attention to different forms of victimization
Women’s Rights and Feminist Movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s
Civil Rights Movement – 1960s
Law and Order Movement – 1980s
Professionals were also at the forefront of the identification process.
Victimology
Early theories established typologies defining reasons for and levels of victim blame
Mendelsohn’s (1947) six categories of victims (based on rape victims)
Completely innocent (children/unconscious)
Victim with minor guilt (ignorant)
Voluntary victim (blame equal to offender)
Victim more guilty than offender (provokes an incident)
Victim who alone is guilty – attacker who is killed in self-defense
Imaginary victim – no crime, falsely accuses another
Von Hentig’s (1948) Typology of Crime Victims (based on victims of homicide)
Designates by characteristic and why they might be vulnerable
Sociological, psychological, and physical characteristics
Victimology
Sykes and Matza (1957)– Techniques of Neutralization
Denial of responsibility – forced to do it
Denial of injury – no harm was done
Denial of the victim – victim deserved it*
Condemnation of the condemners – putting it off on others – the system
Appeal to higher loyalties – offense was committed for the greater good*
Lifestyle theories explain crime and victimization as consequences of the different ways people live their lives
Deviant place theory is linked to lifestyle theories in that it connects the place where victimization may occur to the lifestyle one leads
High crime area, higher likelihood of victimization
Work in dangerous area, higher likelihood of victimization
Explaining Victimization
Continuum of victims’ contribution to crime
Perspectives that focus on the victim’s role in the crime dyad tend to be characterized as victim-blaming or victim precipitation approaches
Passive precipitation places the least amount of perceived blame on the victim for their victimization
Active precipitation, on the other hand, can be characterized by those victims who are viewed as being the most responsible for bringing about their own victimization
“Just world outlook” or “just world philosophy”, which reinforces in the mind of the observer that the victim must have done something to bring the crime on themselves and can reassure the observer that they themselves are safe from harm
Explaining Victimization
Continuum of victims’ contribution to crime
Complete innocence
Victim facilitation
Victim precipitation
Victim provocation
False victim
Explaining Victimization Continued
Offender-blaming approach. This approach reflects some of the more traditional criminological perspectives which seek to explain all crime thorough the offender’s actions, placing no responsibility on the victim
Explaining Victimization Continued
Conflict and Critical theories (Marxist, Critical Race, Feminist Theories) encompass a number of theories or perspectives, but what they all have in common is a focus on social inequality and its consequences
System-blaming approaches, these view both the victim and offender as products of their social and cultural environment
Struggle for power between the dominant and minority race/ethnicities (critical race theories)
Between the sex/genders (feminist theories).
Victim behavior
Reporting the crime or not?
Yes = Report: justice, protection of others, offender needs help
No = report: private, disinterest of the system, shame/guilt
Revictimization (Secondary victimization by CJ or victim-serving personnel)
Seeking help
According to NCVS data - Under 10% of victims overall seek assistance for affects of crime
Assistance includes victim assistance services, medical services
May vary by crime type as domestic violence victims and sexual assault victims may utilize victim services more
Personal crimes – more services utilized
May depend on what is actually available…and to who
More victim services available for women and children
Fear of Crime
One impact of crime is fear; fear then limits freedom
Americans’ fears of crime exceed actual victimization risks
People experience crime indirectly, rather than directly
Views are shaped by the media
Newspapers
Television programs, including local news programs
Fear of Crime in Twelve Cities
Acquaintances and Strangers
Misperception of the public that strangers are the greatest threat, BUT:
About 70% of crimes are committed by acquaintances and other familiars
Females more likely to be harmed by someone they know, family/friend/acquaintance
Males more likely to be harmed by a stranger or acquaintance
Repeat victimization
Domestic Violence
Often takes victims approximately seven attempts to leave an abusive environment before they leave for good
Suggests that there is a LOT of repeated victimizations occurring
The Impact of Crime
Crime affects everyone, not just the victim
Primary, secondary, tertiary
Economic Costs - loss of property, lower productivity, medical care = Over 20 Billion annually
Psychological and Emotional Costs - pain, trauma and the loss of quality of life
Costs of operating the criminal justice system = $227 billion / yr
The previous figures do not include the costs of occupational and organized crime to consumers.
