CRM 202 - Chapter 1/2 Flashcards
Definition of a Victim / Victimization / Victimology
Victims - Individuals who suffer injuries, losses, or hardships for any reason
Victimization - An asymmetrical relationship that is abusive, painful, parasitical, destructive, or unfair
Victimology - Scientific study of the physical, emotional, and financial harm people endure because of illegal activities
Routines Activities Theory (Cohen & Felson)
- Motivated Offender
- A lack of capable guardianship
- A suitable target
Theories
Attempt to explain a phenomenon
- Certain theories blame the victim
- Turns the lends of society
Subjective Approach
Uses a standpoint of morality, ethics, philosophy, personalized reactions, and intense emotions
Objective Approach
Draws conclusions only from evidence and facts
Victims are classified as:
A. Primary Victims (direct)
B. Secondary Victims (indirect)
Victimology versus Detective work
Detectives - Victimology refers to background investigations that reconstruct events to solve crimes
Victimologists - Do not solve crimes
The Parallels Between Criminology and Victimology
- Victimology is a subdiscipline of criminology
- Both disciplines look for causal relationships
- Both emphasize proper gathering and interpretation of data
- Both study how the criminal justice system actually operates versus how it is supposed to work
- Both assess offender needs to recover program effectiveness
Some Differences and Issues about Boundaries
- Criminology is several hundred years old
- Criminology binds studies to illegal activities
- Victimology is several decades old
- Victimology boundaries are in dispute
Conservative Tendency
- Focuses primarily on street crimes
- Holds victims strictly accountable for their decisions and actions
H. Pater - Theory of Administrative Justice
- Left = liberal (due process model)
- Right = conservative (crime control model)
Liberal Tendency
- Extends beyond street crimes to include corporate corruption
- White collar crime - buy your way out of trouble with a cheque
- Endorses societal intervention via the government
- Embraces restorative justice - guiding set of principles
Radical/Critical/Conflict Theory
- Includes street crimes, corporate offences, and other harms
- Victimizations is a result of an exploitative and oppressive social system
Benefits of Studying Victimology
- Intellectual benefits
- Heightened sense of awareness reduced risks
- Complete understanding and appreciation of reactions to victimization
Different Types of Research Studies in Victimology
- Exploratory studies
- Descriptive studies
- Explanatory studies
- Evaluation studies
Exploratory Studies
Use qualitative methods to understand new forms of victimization
Descriptive studies
Use quantitative methods to address questions of who, where, when, and how
Explanatory studies
Attempt to discover causes of problems - the why?
Evaluation studies
Assess the effectiveness of interventions
Different Disciplinary Approaches When Researching Victims Issues
- Psychological Approaches
- Legal and Criminal Justice Approaches
- Historical Approaches
- Anthropological Approaches
- Economical Approaches
Psychological Approaches
Emphasize character traits and personalities
Legal and Criminal Justice approaches
Focus on laws, regulations, and procedures
Historical Approaches
Look at the past and trace developments to the present
Anthropological Approaches
Study societies that are far way and existed long ago
Economical Approaches
Study finances, gains, losses, costs, and expenses
How to Structure Victimological Investigation
Step 1: Identify, Define, and Describe the Problem
Step 2: Estimate the True Dimensions of the Problem
Step 3: Investigate How Victims and Their Offenders Interacted
Step 4: Analyze the Findings and Their Policy Implications
History of Crime Victims
- Victims were key decision makers and direct beneficiaries
- Public prosecutors took over the powers and responsibilities of victims
- Over the last 200 years, the argument has been made that the government has provided for criminals and ignored victims
Two Types of Law
Codified Law & Common Law (Judge-made law)
History of Crime Victims
- The Constitution reconceptualized crimes as hostilities against the state
- Violation of laws is more important than harm to victims
- Plea negotiations cost victims their participation in court proceedings
“Father of Victimology” **
Benjamin Mendelsohn
Survivorology
Focuses on personality traits, inner resources, and belief systems
- Allow victims to reconsider priorities
- Permits a return to a previous (or better) life
Bystanderology
Involves criminals, victims, and third parties
- Rediscovered in 1963 after a rape in New York City
Bystander Effect
- Ignoring crimes and engage
- Bystander effect holds that as bystanders increased:
- Likelihood of intervention decreases –> the more people there the less likely someone will help
** In all but 3 states in the U.S., most of the U.S. bystanders do not have a legal obligation to intervene
- Likelihood of intervention decreases –> the more people there the less likely someone will help
2 sets of advocacy
Case Advocacy: one on one client assistance for a short time
System Advocacy: was representation of an entire group for procedural reform
3 major source of guidance and support
- Law and order movement of the 60s
- Embracing crime control via the criminal justice system and racking down social deviance
- Advocating for swift hard punishment
Women’s Movement
Focused on females harmed by males and not provided support by the male-dominated system
Civil Rights Movement
Focused on opposing racist stereotypes and discriminatory practices
Social Movement
- Civil liberties movement
- Children’s rights groups
- Gay rights movement
- Prisoner’s rights movement
Brady Bill
Handgun violence protection, required background check for handgun
Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
Required colleges in the US annually of crimes on campus
Megan’s Law
Require sex offenders and committed have a right to know
Clases with victims right to privacy
- Laws should shield victims information
- Self-restraint of reporters and editors
- Push to ensure members of the media to remember their code of ethics
- Victimologists have to represent the public interests
Rediscovered Groups
Receiving study and support
- Abused children
- Battered women
- People killed by drunk drivers
Awaiting rediscovery
- Disabled victims
- Homeless Victims
- Delivery drivers
The Rediscovery Process in Action, Step by Step
Stage 1: Calling Attention to an Overlooked Problem
Stage 2: Making Progress, Implementing Reforms
Stage 3: Emergence of an Opposition and Development of Resistance to Further Changes
Stage 4: Research Finding Generate Useful Evidence
Stage 1: Calling Attention to an Overlooked Problem
Activists raise public consciousness to a situation
(A) The rediscovery process has far reaching consequences for everyday life
(B) Rediscovery process is a process that is set in motion when activist raise the public consciousness to an illegal situation
Stage 2: Making Progress, Implementing Reforms
- May require pilot programs to prove need for special services
- Secure government or private funding - best practices
- Best example: MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
Stage 3: Emergence of an Opposition and Development of Resistance to Further Changes
- Backlashes involved with perceived excesses in the groups demand
- Critics argue:
- Interests are too one-sided and do not benefit the majority
- Threats are overestimated
- Victims culpability is ignored and making unreasonable demands
Stage 4: Research Finding Generate Useful Evidence
- Victimologist can objectively look at disputes about crime prevention and treatment
- May result in a stand-off between victim advocates and opponents
