CJS & Victimology Flashcards
Who are involved in the criminal justice system?
- police
- the courts
- the law office
- the ministry of justice
- the home office
- the serious fraud office
What is the Marxist perspective on the CJS?
Reflects the values and aspirations of the RC- dominate the CJS
- WC commit the majority of crime
- RC unpoliced and undetected, let off
What is the functionalist perspective on the CJS?
Reflects the value consensus within society
- crime changes over time which reflects socially constructed ideas about what us considered illegal or not
What is the post structural perspective on the CJS?
State controls individuals and has the power tp define who is a criminal/not
- CJS- expanded through modernity control/regulate behaviour
- knowledge of being watched acts as a deterrent
What is the NR perspective on the CJS?
Murray- state should paly a key role in social control by reforming welfare benefits, people take more responsibility
- not just through the criminal justice system, also through welfare system
SC- economic and ideological
What is the feminist perspective on the CJS?
Chivalry thesis- less likely to be stop, search, sentenced- protective
OR treated harsher, goes against femininity
- Double standards, Heidenson- less likely to put mothers in prison than fathers
What does the critical race theory say about the CJS?
Reflects racist views, targets AC with a heavy handed approach, force
- more stopped and searched
BM- longer prison sentences
- institutional racism
Positivist victimology
Believe that certain people are more likely to be victims of crimes than others and therefore patterns can be established
Positivist victimology
What does Miers mean by victim proneness?
Claims that victims become victims because of their characteristics
Positivist victimology
What does Von Hentig and Mendelsohn claim?
Controversially claim that victims are guilty themselves of allowing or encouraging others to make them a victim of crime
What is meant b victim precipitation?
Violent crime usually involves the victim starting or participating in violence
- rap victims treated as ‘asking for it’
What are the challenges to Positivist victimology?
X relies on data from victim surveys which may not be entirely valid
X only focuses on certain crimes and neglects to look at victims of corporate, state, white collar crim, only looks at victims the state chooses to see
X what about people who are unaware they are victims
X suggests victim is as responsible for the crime as the perpetrator
What are the main beliefs of Critical criminology?
Structural forces- capitalism/patriarchy
- problematic for poor, less support, protection
- Kuazlarich- poor victims, little compensation, lack insurance
- should not see victims as passive and unfortunate but consider them as individuals with rights to be honoured
What does feminist Walklate say on critical race theory?
Supports the view of looking at who defines it as it looks at the way that women are victims as less powerful individuals in society, they believe campaigning for victims makes a difference
How can we criticise critical victimology?
X requires a change in attitude from the whole society including media reporting which creates these stereotypes
X disregards the role victims play in bringing victimisation on themselves through their own choices or their own offending
e.g. not making their home secure
How can we support critical victimology?
Valuable in drawing attention to the way that ‘victims’ status is constructed by power and how this benefits the powerful at the expense of the powerless
Who are the victims?
Primary, secondary, indirect
What are primary victims?
A ;person to whom the crime is directed
What is secondary victimisation?
The experience of reporting the crime
e.g. rape victims/domestic violence victims being made to feel guilty for their crimes and have their behaviour scrutinised
What is indirect victimisation?
People close to the victim may be affected by the crime or people may be disturbed by witnessing a crime
What proportion of homeless people suffered a theft in 2004 and how did this compare to the general population?
67% compared to 1.4%
How can this be explained?
Marxists argue the WC are victims of crime as part of their powerless, exploited position in society
What ethnic group are at more risk of victimisation?
People of mixed ethnic origion
Why are ethnic minority groups less likely to report crimes?
They do not trust the police and see them as institutionally racist
Why are males more likely to be victims of crime from as stranger?
street and violent crime
Why may crimes against children and the elderly be underestimated?
They may not be aware that they are victims
