1. Victims and Victimization
Chapter Three
Victims and Victimization

2. Emergence of Victimology and Victimologists
For many years victims were just looked at as people who were “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Starting in the 1960s researchers saw that victims sometimes play a role in a criminal incident
Active role
Indirect role
Victimology
The study of the victim’s role in criminal events
Victimologists
Criminologists who specifically focus on the victims of crime

3. Problems of Crime Victims
Estimated 23 million annual victimizations in the U.S.
These crimes can have short and long term consequences on the victim and society
These include:
Economic loss
System abuse
Long term stress
Fear
Antisocial Behavior

4. The Nature of Victimization
Since 1993 the number of victimizations are declining
NCVS Data
Patterns of victimization are stable
Victimization is not random
Becoming a crime victim has a lot to do with personal and ecological factors
How is this useful?
Researchers can make judgments about the nature of victimization
Efforts can be made to reduce the victimization rate

5. The Social Ecology of Victimization
Violent crimes are slightly more likely to occur in a public area during daytime or early evening hours
More serious violent crimes typically occur after 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Rape and aggravated assault
Less serious violent crimes more likely occur in the day
Purse snatching and unarmed robberies
The risk of murder is highest in disorganized inner-city areas
Rural areas have significantly lower victimization rates than urban areas (half as much)
Schools are also the location of many victimization
Numbers are decreasing

6. The Victim’s Household
In the U.S. certain homes are more vulnerable to crimes
Larger homes (family size)
African American
Renters
Western and urban homes
Rural white homes in the Northeast are least likely to contain crime victims
Reasons for decrease in victimizations based on current household trends???

7. Important Victim Characteristics
Gender
Age
Social status
Marital status
Race and Ethnicity
Repeat victimization

8. Gender
Males are more likely to be the victims of violent crimes (robbery/assault)
Except for rape or sexual assault
Two thirds of women are victimized by someone they know or live with
Half of male victims are attacked by someone they know
With the increase in gender equality, women’s victimization rates are as well
Age
Young people have a much higher victimization rate
Victim risk rapidly diminishes after age 25
By age 65 chances of being victimized greatly decrease
1% of violent victimizations
With increases in reports of elder abuse, victimization rates for the elderly will increase
More likely to be victims of crimes such as
Frauds and scams
Purse snatching

9. Social Status Marital Status
The poorest Americans are the most likely victims of violent and property crime
Regardless of age, gender, and race
The wealthy are more likely the targets of personal theft crimes
Marital Status
Never-married men and women have higher victimization rates than married people
Widows and widowers have the lowest victimization rate
The relationship between marital status and victimization is probably influenced by gender, age, and lifestyle

10. Race and Ethnicity
African Americans are more likely than whites to be victims of violent crime
Due to income inequality, many racial and ethnic minorities live in deteriorated urban areas with high rates of violence
Overall the rate of black victimization is on the decline

11. Routine Activities Theory
The view that victimization results from the interaction of three everyday factors:
Suitable targets
objects of crime that are attractive and readily available
Absence of capable guardians
effective deterrents to crime, such as police
Presence of motivated offenders
people willing and able to commit crimes
The presence of these three components increases the chances that a crime will take place
Hot Spots

12. Research that Supports Routine Activities Theory
Argued that crime rates increased between 1960 and 1980 because females entered the workplace
Increased drug usage in the 1980s created more motivated offenders
Decline in crime rates since the 1990s may be a result of the improved economy

13. Caring for the Victim The government has responded to this need
More than 75% of the public has been a victim at least once in their life
Many individuals are left suffering after the crime
There is a need to help these victims adjust and help them recover
The government has responded to this need
Ronald Reagan created the Task Force on Victims of Crime in 1982
1984 Comprehensive Crime Control Act
2004 Crime Victims’ Rights Act
Approximately 2000 programs to assist crime victims and witnesses have been developed in the U.S.

14. Types of assistance include:
Victim Compensation
Victim Advocates
Victim Counseling
Public Education
Victim-offender reconciliation
Victim Impact Statements

15. Victims and Self Protection
Many individuals have become their own “police force”
Take an active role in community protection
The more crime in an area the more likely residents will resort to self protective measures
Many crimes are not reported because people prefer to take matters in their own hands
Target hardening
Fighting back
Standing your ground
Community organization

16. Victims’ Rights
Society is obligated to ensure basic rights for law-abiding citizens
Every state has legal rights for crime victims in its code of law
These are often called a Victims’ Bill of Rights and include:
To be notified of proceedings and the status of the defendant
To be present at criminal justice proceedings
To make a statement at sentencing and to receive restitution from a convicted offender
To be consulted before a case is dismissed or a plea agreement entered
To a speedy trial
To keep the victim’s contact information confidential

17. New Movements for Victims’ Rights
Offender registration laws
These are controversial laws that require the name and address of known sex offenders be posted by law enforcement agencies
Almost every state today has sex offender laws
The federal government has a National Sex Offender Public Registry