Midterm Test Flashcards
What is Victimology?
The study of the causes and consequences of victimization, how the CT system accommodates and assists victims, and how society deals with the occurrence of victimization.
What is victim precipitation?
Give an example.
The extent to which the victim is responsible for their own victimization.
The victim precipitates in their own victimization through the relationship between the victim and the offender.
What is victim facilitation?
Give an example.
When a victim unintentionally makes it easier for an offender to commit a crime against them.
What is victim provocation?
Give an example.
When someone does something that incites another person to commit a crime against them.
What was the CJ system like prior to the Victims’ Rights Movement?
Prior to the VRM, the burden of justice was on the victim, thought retaliation. There was no formal system to provide retribution or restitution.
What was the CJ system like in regard to victims during the Industrial Revolution?
Crimes were considered to be against the state. The victim played no role in justice.
Who is Hans von Hentig?
An early Victimology scholar interested in why certain people were more likely to be victimized.
Who is considered to be the “father of victimology”?
Benjamin Mendelsohn
Who was Benjamin Mendelsohn?
The “father of victimology.” Studied the relationship between victims and their offenders and discovered that most of the time, victims knew their offender.
Who was Stephen Schafer?
An early victimologist, he classified victims into categories based on how responsible they were for their victimization.
What was Marvin Wolfgang?
The first victimologist to empirically study victim precipitation. Studied homicides in Philadelphia, and discovered that 1/4 of victims precipitated in their own murder.
What was Menachen Amir?
An early victimologist that studied rape. In a controversial study, he published that 1 in 5 rape victims played a role in their own victimization.
What role did the Civil Rights Movement have on the Victim Rights’ Movement?
This movement was focused on racism and discrimination and helped identify how minorities were mistreated in the CJ system.
What role did the Women’s Rights Movement have on the VRM?
The WRM shed a light on crimes against women, and identified how most crimes against women were a byproduct of sexism and traditional gender roles.
This movement also established that children could be victims of crimes just like anyone else, and also were in need of services.
What is the most common violent crime?
Simple Assault
What is the most common property crime?
Theft
Property crime rates are higher than violent crime rates.
Yes.
What are the disadvantages of the NCVS?
It only surveys 43,000 households.
Only those 12 and older are allowed to participate.
Landlines are phasing out.
It cannot include homicide.
What is the typical victim?
Black males, under 24, living in urban areas.
What is the victim/offender overlap?
The fact that the typical victim and the typical offender are demographically the same.
Statistically, 2/3’s of victims know their perpetrator in some way.
Yes.
Statistically, 1 in 5 violent crimes involve a weapon.
Si.
What are the most common weapons used in murders?
Firearms.
What crime survey is set up in the same way as the NCVS and is often used in order to compare data?
The British Crime Survey, which covers England and Wales.
Victims and offenders aren’t usually the same people.
No.
What does the Subculture of Violence Theory suggest?
What is the popular theory that is associated with it?
There are subgroups in society that use violence as part of their value system.
Code of the streets, which suggests that crime is used in order to gain respect and street credit.
What does Homogamy from Life Style theory suggest?
The more frequently someone comes in contact with people who have characteristics of offenders, the more likely they will be victimized.
What is Neighborhood Context?
An explanation that suggests that victims are most likely to live or work near crime hotspots.
How does family structure suggest about victimization?
Single parent, especially female headed households, are more likely to be victimized.
It also suggests that low family bonds increase victimization or delinquency.
What does building structure density suggest about victimization?
Five or more units within a single building increase likelihood of individuals come in contact with an offender.
How does Expose to Delinquent Peers affect victimization?
Suggests that kids who hang out delinquent peers will be more likely to be delinquent themselves or become victims.
What theory has a relationship with Intimate Partner Violence, and what does it suggest?
Social Learning Theory suggests that children that grow up in a household with IPV will be more likely to be a victim or offender of IPV, as they view it as a normal part of relationships.
What does Control Balance Theory suggest in relation to victimization?
Suggests that a person will be more likely to be an offender or a victim based on how much control the perceive to have.
A person will a control surplus will be more likely to be an offender, while a person with a control deficit will be more likely to be a victim.
What is the Social Interactionst Perspective and what does it suggest about victimization?
Suggests that people tend to take stress out on other individuals. Offenders lash out due to anger and react with aggression.
What is the Life-Course Perspective of victimology?
Also called the General Theory of crime. Suggests that self-control is established by age 8 and is consistent for the rest of life.
What are the 6 victim/offender characteristics that Life-Course Perspective identifies?
Inability to delay gratification Adrenaline seeking Shortsightedness High physical activity Quick temper Self centered
According to Adult Social Bond theory, why do people desist from committing crimes or being the victim of crimes?
They form social bonds that change their lifestyle. Marriage is the most impactful event that causes offenders to desist, and acts as a protective factor for victims.
What is the Gene x environmental interaction of crime?
An explanation of crime that suggests that excess dopamine is responsible for aggression and violence.
What is Alcohol’s Role?
Alcohol use is the strongest indication for victimization. It lowers inhibition, and affects how victims responds to incidents.
How many victimizations include a Physical Injury?
Over 1.5 million incidents per year come with a physical injury. Most severe injury is death ; there are 15,000 murders per year.
