Victimology Flashcards
What is the definition of a victim
ANyone who has suffered harm (mental, physical or emotional suffering, economic loss or impairment of their basic rights) through acts that violate the law
What is victimology
The study of victims of crime and experiences
What are the two types of victimology
Positivists victimology
Critical victimology
What does Miers say the aims of Positivist victimology
To identify patterns in victimology
Focuses on interpersonal crimes of violence
Aims to identify victims who have contributed to their own victimisation
What is meant by victim proneness
Studies sought to identify the characteristics that made someone more likely to be a victim of crime
How many characteristics are involved in victim proneness and who is most likely to be a victim
13
Being female, elderly or ‘mentally subnormal’, displaying wealth
What is the name of the study that found that out of 588 homocides in the US 26% involved the victim triggering the events
Wolfgang
What are 3 positives of the wolfgang and positivist victimology
Helps us understand what we can do to reduce chances of beocming a v
Highlights categories of vulnerable groups
Wolfgang shows the importance of the v-d relationship and the fact that in many homocides its a matter of chance who becomes a v
What are 3 criticism of Positivist victimology
It can be seen as victim blaming
Ignores situational crime where the individuals are not aware of their victimisation, where harm is done but no law broken - green crime
Critical victimology: ignores wider structural factors
What do Critical vicitmologists say becoming a V is down to
Structural factors: poverty and those in poverty have a greater risk (living in deprived areas)
States power to define ‘victim’ or deny this label: V status can be applied to some and not others (social construct) - selective law enforcement
What is an example of the state defining a vicitm or denying victim status
Injuries and deaths at work are often explained as the fault of the workers and not companies violating safety laws
Police failing to prosecute a man for raping his wife denies her victim status
What is one positive of Critical victimology
It draws attention to the way that the V status is constructed by power - benefits the powerful at expense of powerless
What is one negative evaluation of Critical victimology
Positivist victimologists - ignores the role that vs may play in their own victimisation
Which social class is more likely to be a victim
WC
Homeless are 12x more likely to have experienced voilence than the general population
Most crime is intra-class
Which age is more likely to be a victim
Younger
Teenages are more vulnerable to assaults, sexual harassment, theft and abuse but elderly are more at risk of abuse than adults
Which ethnicity is more likely to be a victim
Minority ethnic groups
Experience higher levels of hate crime and more likely to feel overcontrolled by CJS
Which gender are more likely to be victims
Men overall
They are at gretaer risk of violent attacks
Women are more likely to be a risk of domestic voilence, sexual violence, stalking and harassment - offender are more likely to be known to the female v than male v
What is meant by repeat victimisation
Those who have been a v of crime once, are more likely to be a v again
What is meant by Secondary Victimisation as an impact of victimisation
Vs may suffer further victimisation in CJS
Rape Vs are often mistreated by the system
Heidenson: courts are bias against women
What is meant be Fear of victimisation as an impact of victimisation
Crimes create fear but the survey suggests that this fear may be irrational (women fear attacks depsite higher rates among men)
What is meant by Physical and emotional implications as an impact of victimisation
Disrupted sleep, helpessness, increase security consciousness difficulties in social functioning
What is meant by Waves of harm as an impact of victimisation
Hate crime against ethnic minorities intimidates whole community and breaks down societies value system
What is meant by Indirect victims as an impact of victimisation
Friends and family, neighbours witness the crime and become victims from a loss of an individual
