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Victims and Victimology

Victims and Victimology. Basic Questions/Data Gathering Effects of Victimization Theories of Victimization. The Level and Cost of Victimization. 37 million criminal incidents (1996) Including estimates of non-NCVS crimes, 49 million Cost: $450 billion?.

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Victims and Victimology

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  1. Victims and Victimology Basic Questions/Data Gathering Effects of Victimization Theories of Victimization

  2. The Level and Cost of Victimization • 37 million criminal • incidents (1996) • Including estimates of non-NCVS crimes, 49 million • Cost: $450 billion?

  3. How do we know the “cost” of crime? • Tangible Costs • To Victim • To Society • Intangible Costs • To Victim • To Society

  4. Estimating victim loss through jury awards • Looking only at cases that go to civil (tort) court • Are these a representative sample of “complete” and “incomplete” crime? • Think of the “typical” assault. • Is it worth $9,350? • PROBLEM: use of this data to justify the expense of prison

  5. Immediate Problems of Crime Victims • Financial Loss • Property • Wages • Medical Expenses • Physical and Emotional Pain

  6. Post-Victimization Suffering • “Double Victimization” • Intensive questioning by police • What is going on in the case? • Property is often kept for a long time • Psychological Harm • Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, fear, antisocial behaviors

  7. Where do Victimizations Take Place? • Urban areas (more than rural) • Certain neighborhoods (and areas within these neighborhoods) • Open, public areas and businesses

  8. What Demographic Characteristics are Related to Victimization? • Gender • Social Status • Marital Status • Age • Race/Ethnicity

  9. Victim-Offender Relationships • Crime tends to be intra-racial rather than inter-racial • In violent crimes, the victim is at least “well known” to the offender in 40% of the cases. • Much less often in property cases

  10. Theories of Victimization • Explain who gets victimized and/or why • Victim Precipitation theory • Lifestyle Theories • Routine Activities Theory

  11. Victim Precipitation Theory • Active (e.g., take the first swing) • Rape? • Passive? (e.g., love triangle) • Difference between empirical documentation and normative statements • Empirical facts do not “excuse” or justify

  12. Lifestyle Theories • All of these designed to explain the correlates of victimization • High Risk Lifestyle • Equivalent Group Hypothesis • Proximity Hypothesis

  13. Routine Activities Theory • To predict “direct predatory crime” • The convergence in time and space of: • Motivated Offenders • Suitable Targets • Lack of Capable Guardianship • Usually assume presence of offenders

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