Victims Flashcards
what is victimology?
victimology is the study of the crime on the victims , the victim’s interests and the patterns of victimisation.
how could the CJS be argued to have a larger focus on the victims than previously?
victims of crime viewed as consumers/customers of the CJS and its success is now judged by the extent it meets the needs of the victims and not just the extent to which it deals with offenders.
National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS)- adopted in 2002 by all police forces , giving priority to victims’ account of crime, rather than police view of evidence.
Victim Support Schemes- integral part of CJS, growing emphasis on restorative justice, giving victims opportunity to confront offender.
Home Office announced in 2013 that victims of low level crime will be able to choose out-of-court punishment for offender from list of options.
2014 proposal from government for Victim’s Law - give victims legal right to be informed about their case and confront offenders in court.
More importance attached to victims because if they don’t have belief in CJS to catch and punish , crimes will go unreported and victims will be unwilling to give evidence.
How could the idea of victimisation be socially construted?
victim may not realise they’ve been victimised (e.g fraud)
victim may refuse to accept they’ve been victimised (e.g domestic abuse victims may blame themselves for provoking)
may reject label of victim , viewing it as foolish (e.g internet scams)
some may be denied status of victim because others regard them as responsible for their victimisation (e.g women who experience sexual assault) For example, Tombs and Whyte (2007) argue accident victims of corporate crime due to employer neglect of health and safety regulations are often blamed themselves.
what are the effects of victimisation?
Hoyle (2012) - physical harm/loss , anger , PTSD, powerlessness, fear of further victimisation
CSEW shows levels of worry amongst those who have been victimised and there is a whole security industry that has developed around the fear of crime.
Restriction over movement- feminists draw attention to women victims who fear going out at night/forced to avoid certain areas.
Ongoing sense of fear where there are high levels of repeat victimisation- such as vandalism/domestic violence.
(3/4 domestic violence occurs several times, and 1/2 vandalism and violence)
Can have wider effects beyond victim, for example whole neighbourhoods/groups can be put in fear as a result of crime.
Further victimisation (secondary victimisation) occurs as a result of primary victimisation. - Walklate (2004) argues CJS in rape trials contributes to secondary victimisation where female victims seem to be on trial (respectability and reputation scrutinised). Also seen in honour crimes where ethnic minority women have been sexually assaulted/ raped can face further victimisation by family members for ‘dishonour’ victimisation brought on family’s reputation.
Explain the patterns of gender and victimisation.
CSEW - women are more likely than men to have high levels of worry about being victims of burglary/violent crime.
Young men (16-24) are twice as likely to be victims of most violent crime than young women.
Explain the patterns of domestic violence and victimisation
1/4 women and 1/6 men will suffer from some form of domestic violence at some point
89% is committed against women by men
Annually, 150 people killed by partner/ex partner , 80% of them are women.
An estimated 2/3 rds of domestic violence victims do not report or seek help
Many female victims than face repeat victimisation do not leave partners due to lack of resources for economic independence, losing children or further violence. - Hester and Westmarland (2006) , only 5% of those who are reported for domestic violence result in conviction.
Explain the patterns of rape and victimisation.
90% rape victims female
CSEW- only 1/10 report to police
only 6% of rapes result in prosecution and conviction
84% of women raped new offender
CSEW - only 30% rapes take place in public
Explain the patterns of age and victimisation.
lifestyles of young mean there is more opportunity for crime , and also have greater risk of being victim.
CSEW 2013/14 - likelihood of being victim decreases with age
16-24 yr olds 3x more likely to experience violent crime compared to all adults
6% of 10-15 yr olds experienced violent crime/theft.
explain the patterns of ethnicity and victimisation.
2013/14 CSEW- risk of being victim of personal crime for minority ethnic groups is higher than for white group
may be explained through younger age profile of minority ethnic groups, their social class and living in areas of social deprivation.
make up 23% of homicides in 2007-2010
(twice higher compared to white population, this rises 4 times higher for black people)
explain the patterns of social class and victimisation.
inverse victimisation law - those with least power and fewest valuable goods most likely to be victims of all forms of crime
highest rate of victimisation found :
1) amongst ‘hard pressed’ (long term sick , renting , low income families , unemployed)
2) areas of high physical disorder
3)areas with high levels of deprivation
CSEW 2014/15 - 20% poorest much more likely to experience crime than 20% most affluent. Faced higher crime risk than 4/5ths of the population.
What is positivist victimology?
Tierney (1996) suggests the positivist approach to victimology involves identifying something in the characteristics/circumstances of victims which makes them different from non-victims in two ways:
victim proneness: identifies characteristics of individuals/groups that make them more vulnerable to victimisation
victim precipitation: victims are actively involved or to blame for their victimisation (e.g sexual assault victims dressing provocatively)
Evaluate positivist victimology
- tends to blame victims rather than offenders
- downplays the role of law, police and other criminal justice agencies in not tackling crime effectively and thereby contributing to victimisation
-focuses too much on characteristics of individua victims, ignoring wider structural factors (poverty, powerlessness, corporate neglect) - makes some people more vulnerable to crime than others
-does not recognise there are situations where people are unwittingly victims, or are not aware of their victimisation (white collar , corporate,environmental)
What is radical or critical victimology?
radical victimology is associated with conflict theories such as Marxism and Feminism.
Focuses on how wider social issues/circumstances produce victimisation.
(e.g social deprivation means it is the most deprived members of society who are most likely to become victims)
(Feminist writers suggest ‘innate’ crimes like rape are as a result of male power in a patriarchal society in which mean are socialised into a sense of superiority over women)
(higher rate of victimisation of ethnic minority groups can be explained by under-protection by a racist police force and over policing minority ethnic communities.)
Evaluate radical/critical victimology.
ignores issues of victim precipitation/proneness
many people would regard burglars injured by homeowners , or drug user ripped off by drug dealer as responsible for their own victimisation.
