Victimology

Question 1

What is the UN’s definition of victim?

Answer 1

Those who’ve suffered harm through acts that violates state laws.

Question 2

How do transgressive criminologists critique this definition?

Answer 2

doesn’t count for acts that make pp victims which aren’t laws.

Question 3

Chances of being a victim in a year?

Answer 3

1:4

Question 4

What groups are most likely to be victimised?

Answer 4

Poor- higher crime rates in poor areas.
Youth- pp under 1 more likely murdered.
Ethnic minorities- racially motivated.

Question 5

What crimes are men and women likely to be victims of and why?

Answer 5

Men- Violent attacks by strangers, asserting toxic masculinity.
Women- sexual abuse.

Question 6

How do interpretivists critique this?

Answer 6

Stats inaccurate, male abuse under reported.

Question 7

According to the British Crime Survey, what % of the population are victims and what is this as a sum of crime committed in a year?

Answer 7

4%. 44% crime committed in yr.

Question 8

According to positivist Miers, what are the 3 features in victimology?

Answer 8

Factors reproduce crime patterns

Victim proneness.

Sought to identify social and psychological characteristic of victims, make them different/ vulnerable than non-victims.

Question 9

According to Hentig, what are some characteristics of victims?

Answer 9

Young.
Old
Female
Tormentor
Depressed
Being a victim depends on the type of person you are (wearing provocative clothing).

Question 10

Describe Wolfgang’s study and findings?

Answer 10

Study of 588 homicides.

26% homicide’s involved victim precipitation- victim triggered events.

Question 11

According to conflict theorists, what 2 elements contribute to victimology?

Answer 11

Structural factors

States power

Question 12

What structural problems contribute to victimology?

Answer 12

Patriarchy and poverty- powerless groups at risk.
Mawby and Walklate call it structural powerlessness.
E.g., Sarah Everard.

Question 13

How does state power contribute to victimology?

Answer 13

Victim social construction.

CJS applies label of victim some, withholds from others.

E.g., police don’t press charges against man assaulting his wife, thus denying victim label.

Question 14

What do Thombs and Whyte say about the affects of failing to label on safety crimes?

Answer 14

employer error blames employee.

‘failure to label’- conceal victimisation and real causes, hides crimes of powerfulness, denies powerless victims.

Question 15

What is the impact of failing to label?

Answer 15

Physical/ emotional distress.

Question 16

Give an example of how crime creates indirect victims according to Pynoos et al?

Answer 16

found child witnesses of sniper attack continued to have altered behaviour yrs after.

Hate crimes against minorities create ‘waves of harm’ affect others.