week 4 - correlates of crime; crime victims

Question 1

correlation

Answer 1

a relationship that exists when or more variables, such as age and crime, are associated or related with one another

Question 2

types of correlation

Answer 2

1. positive relationship (delinquents up, offences up)
2. negative relationship (delinquents up, offences down)
3. no relationship (random)

Question 3

correlation & causation

Answer 3

correlation does NOT imply causation
-> there is a correlation between ice cream sales and drownings, but ice cream does not CAUSE drownings

Question 4

criteria for causality

Answer 4

1. the independent and dependent variables must be empirically related (correlated) to one another
2. the independent variable must occur before the dependent variable (cause THEN effect)
3. the observed relationship cannot be explained away as the effect of another variable

Question 5

age crime curve

Answer 5

• crime peaks in adolescence (16-17) and then declines into adulthood
• one of the most undisputed facts in criminology

Question 6

maturational reform

Answer 6

• the process by which involvement in crime tends to decrease as people age
• maturational reform is the thought to be the result of:
  > psychological maturation
  > social maturation (youth are initially excluded from adult social roles and behaviours like marriage, employment, parenthood. as they move into adulthood, they are likely to enter these adult social roles which increase the likelihood of conformity)

Question 7

gender gap

Answer 7

a persistent finding in criminology is that men commit more crime than women
- another main undisputed facts of criminology

Question 8

what does the gender gap look like?

Answer 8

the gender gap is the most pronounced for serious/violent crime
-> when only asked about assault, women and men are about the same level
-> when asked about assault with a weapon, men are at higher levels than women

Question 9

risk factors

Answer 9

although girls tend to engage in less serious forms of crime, they are more likely to experience a number of different risk factors
- more problematic substance use
- negative experiences within their family

Question 10

victimology

Answer 10

the study of victims and trends in victimization

Question 11

traditional criminology

Answer 11

the study of OFFENDERS and trends in crime

Question 12

costs of victimization

Answer 12

harm to victims (physical, emotional, financial)

Question 13

victim

Answer 13

a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action
- typically status as a victim is tied to culpability

Question 14

culpability

Answer 14

deserving of blame; guilty of wrongdoing

Question 15

levels of victimization

Answer 15

1. primary victim - person who is directly harmed as a result of a victimizing experience
2. secondary victim - a person who is not directly impacted bu the harmful effects of a victimizing event but may witness the event or must deal with the after effects of a victimizing event
3. tertiary victim - a person who may suffer repercussions of victimization even though they are not directly involved in or witness to the harmful event

Question 16

strobl’s self and other victim classification

Answer 16

see table of what is an
1. actual victim
2. rejected victim
3. designated victim
4. non victim

Question 17

profile victimization in canada

Answer 17

• single
• young adults (15-24)
• queer
• indigenous
• low income

Question 18

victim precipitation

Answer 18

the problematic assumptions that victims can somehow influence or bring about their own victimization by exhibiting behaviours that provoke a victimizer

Question 19

issues with victim precipitation

Answer 19

shifts the blame away from perpetrator and onto the victim
extremely sensitive when it comes to sexual assault