2
Defining Victims
• What is a crime victim?•Someone who suffers because of a crime•People can be victimized without being victims of crime•Corporations•Civil liberties/human rights
3
Collective Victimization
• Neglected topic
• Mass victims of•White-collar crime•Violations of human rights
5
Patterning of Victimization
• Geographical patterns•Higher violent victimization in west and Midwest•Higher property victimization in west
6
Social Patterns of Victimization
• Gender• Males have higher levels of victimization
• Race/Ethnicity• Native Americans—highest violent victimization rates• African–Americans/Latinos have high rates of victimization
• Family income• Lower income=higher victimization risk
• Age• Young people=higher victimization risk
• Age/Race/Gender combined• Young, African-American, males=higher victimization risk
7
Victim-Offender Relationship
• Strangers• Account for 41% of all offenses• 52% of male victims were victimized by
strangers• 27% of female victims were victimized by
strangers
• Friends/Family/Acquaintances• Account for 59% of offenses• Most victims know the offenders
8
Intimate-Partner Violence (IPV)
• Majority of non-stranger violence is committed by friends and acquaintances
• Intimate partner (spouses, ex-spouses, and partners) violence• Rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated/simple assault
9
Perceived Race/Gender/Age of Offenders
• Offender/Victim characteristics similar•Whites account for majority of crimes•African-Americans are disproportionately represented in crime statistics•Males are predominant offenders
10
The Offender/Victimization Myth
• Crime is predominantly intraracial•Offender/Victim are from same race
• Crime is not predominantly interracial•Offender/Victim are from different races
11
Crime Characteristics
• Use of alcohol and drugs• Offenders under influence of alcohol/drugs in almost half
of all crimes
• Time and place of occurrence• 43% of crime occurs at night (6:00pm-6:00am)• Majority of violent crime occurs at/near the home
• Use of Weapons• Weapons used in about 20% of all crimes
• Self-Protection and resistance• 60% of victims try to stop the crime (threats, run away,
or persuasion)
12
Explaining Victimization
• Situational Explanations•Lifestyle and Routine Activities Theory•Deviant Lifestyles•Proximity
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Victimization Theories
• Lifestyle and routine activities theory•Most popular theories•Based on individual•Habits•Behaviors• Lifestyles
14
Lifestyle Theory
• Some lifestyles are more at risk for victimization•Spending a lot of time in bars or nightclubs•Spending time with criminals
• Increases victimization opportunity
15
Routine Activities Theory
• Victimization requires:• Motivated offender• Suitable target• Lack of capable guardian
16
Deviant Lifestyles
• Criminals have a better chance of being victimized• Spend time in high crime areas• Retaliation• Criminals cannot call police for help•Drinking/Drug use
17
Physical Proximity and Victimization
• Areas with high crime rates also have high victimization rates
• 3-5% of all city locations account for roughly 50% of a city’s crime
• “Hotspots”• Bars/Taverns
18
Repeat Victimization
• Those who have been victimized are more likely to be victimized again
• Three-fourths of violent crime victims and almost all property crime victims will be victimized more than once
20
Victimization of College Students
• College students• Lead high risk lifestyles•Male students • African-American students
21
The Homeless• NCVS excludes this
group
• High-Risk lifestyle
• High-Crime areas
• Studies indicate high rate of victimization of the homeless
22
Costs and Consequences of Victimization
• Economic/Medical costs
• Most serious offenses in 2008 cost $17.4 billion in direct costs
• Only 14% of victims recovered money or property
• 7% of victims lost time from work
23
Costs and Consequences
• Has long term effect on adolescents in terms of education and occupation
• More than one-third of robbery victims are physically injured
• More than one-fifth of assault victims are physically injured
24
Psychological Consequences
• Victimization especially traumatic for some• Crimes• Individuals
• Impact of stranger vs. known offenders
• Indirect victimization
• Victims’ views about criminal justice system
25
Social/Behavioral Consequences
• Victims likely become criminals
• Vicarious victimization• Family members
• Neighborhoods
• Social relationships• Stunted
26
Victims in the Criminal Justice System
• Victims experiences in the CJ system
• Second victimization
• Victim services/programs
• Victim-Impact statements
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Victims and Criminal Case Outcomes
• Prosecutors prefer “good victims”•Well educated and articulate
• Prosecutors avoid “bad victims”• Prior criminal history• Provocation of the defendant