VICTIMOLOGY

Question 1

POSITIVIST

Answer 1

TIERNEY:
VICTIM PRONENESS- social and pscyhological characteristics of victims that make them MORE VULNERABLE eg HENTIG found 13 characteristics of victims, likely to be WOMEN,ELDERLY and MENTALLY SUBNORMAL.

WOLFGANG-

VICTIM PRECIPITATION: victims were the INITIAL AGGRESSOR that lead to their death eg 26% of HOMICIDES involved VICTI PRECIPITATION

Question 2

CRITICAL:
based on MARXIST and FEMINIST theories

Answer 2

STRUCTURAL FACTORS like POEVRTY and PATRIARCHY place WOMEN and the POOR at a GREAT RISK of VICTIMISATION. WALKLATE argues VICTIMISATION is a form of STRUCTURAL POWERLESSNESS.

STATE’S POWER TO APPLY OR DENY LABEL OF VICTIM:

‘VICTIM’ is a SOCIAL CONSTRUCT in the same way as ‘CRIME’. Through the CJS, the STATE applies the label of victim to some but withholds it from others eg POLICE deciding to NOT CHARGE a man for assaulting his wife, THEREBY denies her VICTIM STATUS

Question 3

PATTERNS of VICTIMISATION

Answer 3

CLASS:
W/C and underclass people are more likely to be a victim of crime although M/C people are more likely to fear being a victim of crime.
This is partly due to the areas in which LOWER W/C live

AGE:
Infants are most likely to be
victims of murder.
Teens are most likely to be
victims of theft, violent crime
and sexual crimes.
Elderly are the most
likely to be victims of abuse.

GENDER:
MEN are more likely to be
victims of VIOLENT CRIME and THEFT. 70% of homicide victims are male.
WOMEN as more likely to be
victims of SEXUAL CRIMES ,
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE and
TRAFFICKING.

ETHNICITY:
Ethnic Minorities are more at
risk of being victims of crime. Especially those of mixed ethnicity
Home Office estimates
106,000 hate crimes per year
= 300 per day