victimology

Question 1

who are victims? (3)

Answer 1

• primary victims
• secondary victims
• indirect victims

Question 2

what are primary victims?

Answer 2

person who crime is directed

Question 3

what is secondary victimisation?

Answer 3

the experience of reporting the crime eg rape= feel guilty

Question 4

what is indirect victimisation?

Answer 4

the people who are close to the victim may be affected by crime

Question 5

what do ‘victims’ also include?

Answer 5

the general public and their fear of crime-> media has led to disproportionate fear of crime for public

Question 6

what is positivist victimology?

Answer 6

where they believe that certain peple are more likely to be victims of crimes than others therefore patterns can be established

Question 7

Miers

Answer 7

positivism
Victims become victims becayse of their characteristics-> victim proneness

Question 8

Von Hentig and Mendelsohn

Answer 8

positivism
victims are guilty themselves of allowing/encouraging others to make them a victim of crime-> victim precipitation

Question 9

challenge of positivism?

Answer 9

• theory relies on data from victim surveys- not valid
• doesnt look at victims of corporate, state, white collar
• people who arent aware they are victims?
• victim precipitation suggests victim is responsible
• ignores wider structural factors influencing eg poverty
• victim blaming eg rape “asked for it”

Question 10

what is radical criminology?

Answer 10

• agree with positivists that there are patterns in victimisation
• believe important to look at structural forces when explaining why certain groups more likely experience crime

Question 11

examples of structural forces leading to crime?

Answer 11

• capitalism= crimonogenic triangle
• patriarchy= masculinity in crime

Question 12

importance of class in radical victimology?

Answer 12

• being a victim is much more problematic for the poor
• radical looks at victims of other crime eg white collar, state and corporate

Question 13

Kuazlarich

Answer 13

radical
poorer victims of state crime have little chance of getting compensation eg less likely to have insurance policy

Question 14

evaluation of radical victimology?

Answer 14

• valuable in drawing attention to the way that ‘victim’ status is constructed by power and how benefits powerful at expense of powerless

Question 15

what is critical victimology?

Answer 15

• agree with radical that must look at structural forces influencing victimisation
• believe necessary to look at definition of ‘victim’ and who defines it
• eg state unlikely define people who die in police custody/military action as victims

Question 16

what does the critical approach believe about victims?

Answer 16

• should start seeing them as individuals with rights that should be honoured instead of passive and unfortunate

Question 17

Walklate

Answer 17

critical
looks at way women are victims as less powerful individuals in society. believe campaigning for victims can make a difference

Question 18

criticism of critical victimology?

Answer 18

• disregards the role victims may play in bringing victimisation on themselves through their own choices eg not making their home secure