Crime Victims An Introduction to Victimology 8th Edition Andrew Karmen – Test Bank
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Sample Test
TEST BANK
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The
big picture of crime can be manipulated or distorted by:
2. limited
personal experience
3. self-serving
reported by organizations with vested interests
4. the
media
5. cultural
values and myths
6. all
of these.
ANS:
E
LO:
2│12
REF: p. 59
2. Crime
rates measure:
3. individual
level crime.
4. group
level crime.
5. organizational
level crime.
6. agency
level crime.
ANS:
A
LO:
4
REF: p. 60
3. Statistics
can be calculated to:
4. measure
victimization rates.
5. expose
patterns of crime.
6. demonstrate
crime variation across time.
7. provide
a profile of a ‘typical victim’
8. all
of these.
ANS:
E
LO:
4
REF: p. 59-61
4. Which
of the following is included in Part I of the UCR?
5. murder
6. robbery
7. forcible
rape
8. all
of these
ANS:
A
LO: 3 │5
│9
REF: p. 62
5. ___________
demonstrate how crime has changed as time goes by.
6. Trends
7. Patterns
8. Egressions
9. Profiles
ANS:
A
LO:
1
REF: p. 61
6. Statistics
can provide:
7. Estimates
of costs and losses imposed by crime.
8. Planning
assistance in projects.
9. evaluation
of the effectiveness of a criminal justice agency.
10.
All of these.
ANS:
D
LO:
1
REF: p. 59-61
7. __________
can provide an idea of what is usual or typical about a victim in terms of
their characteristics.
8. Profiles
9. Official
statistics
10.
Trends
11.
Patterns
ANS:
A
LO:
1
REF: p. 60
8. _______
reflect predictable relationship or regular occurrences found during an
analysis of the data.
9. profiles
10.
statistics
11.
trends
12.
patterns
ANS:
D
LO:
1
REF: p. 60
9. _____
are statistical portraits that yield an impression of what is usual or typical
about the average victim.
10.
Profiles
11.
Statistics
12.
Trends
13.
Patterns
ANS:
A
LO:
1
REF: p. 60
10.
______________ statistics demonstrate the total number of
incidents of each kind of crime reported to the police.
11.
UCR
12.
NCVS
13.
Crime Clock
14.
Self-report Data
ANS:
C
LO:
1
REF p. 61
11.
When police departments report only the worst offense that
happens during a sequence of criminal events for UCR purposes, they are
following which of these?
12.
victimization survey guidelines
13.
hierarchy rule
14.
the Bureau of Justice Statistics Rulebook
15.
State Police reporting requirements
ANS:
B
LO:
1
REF: p. 78
12.
Which of the following was most recently added to Part I index
offenses?
13.
arson
14.
motor vehicle theft
15.
forcible rape
16.
domestic assault
ANS:
A
LO:
1
REF: p. 65
13.
In which year was the Uniform Crime Report first published?
14.
1927
15.
1930
16.
1958
17.
1979
ANS:
A
LO:
1
REF: p. 65
14.
The National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is an
overhaul of which of the following?
15.
NCVS
16.
various state reporting systems
17.
UCR
18.
all of these
ANS:
C
LO:
1
REF: p. 68
15.
The first national victims’ survey was conducted in what year?
16.
1974
17.
1966
18.
1989
19.
2000
ANS:
B
LO:
1
REF: p. 68
16.
Which items are collected by the NIBRS that was not by the UCR?
17.
demographics of the offender
18.
demographics of the victim
19.
the relationship between victim and offender, if any
20.
area of residence
21.
all of these
ANS:
E
LO:
1
REF: p. 68
17.
The UCR employs the “Hierarchy Rule.” This means that:
18.
police agencies are ranked according to the population they
serve.
19.
crimes are assigned a point value depending on severity, so that
“serious” crimes are weighed more heavily in the results.
20.
federal crimes are considered more important than State crimes.
21.
if more than one offense occurs in the same incident (such as a
rape and murder), then only the most serious crime is included in the report.
ANS:
D
LO:
1
REF: p. 78
18.
NIBRS data collection covers ___________ percent of reported
crimes.
19.
26
20.
35
21.
47
22.
71
ANS:
A
LO:
1
REF: p. 69
19.
Which of the following do victimologists view as the most valid
method for collecting information on crime victimization?
20.
telephone surveys
21.
news accounts
22.
self-report surveys
23.
jail intake statistics
ANS:
C
LO: 1
│6
REF: p. 68
20.
Many problems have been identified with victimization surveys.
Which of the following involves victims believing the crime occurred within the
desired reporting period when in fact it occurred long before?
21.
forgetting about criminal incidents
22.
forward telescoping
23.
memory decay
24.
backward telescoping
ANS:
B
LO: 1 │4
│7
REF: p. 70
21.
Instead of just 8 closely watched UCR index offenses, FBI
computers are now prepared to keep track of ____ Group A offenses.
22.
12
23.
46
24.
50
25.
Over 100
ANS:
B
LO:
1
REF: p. 67
22.
The NIBRS System will collect victimization data on which of the
following?
23.
homicides
24.
simple assaults
25.
blackmail
26.
all of these
ANS:
D LO: 1
│5
REF: p. 67
23.
For criminologists, self-report surveys confirmed the hypothesis
that large numbers of people broke the law but most were never ____________,
especially if they were from middle- or upper-class families.
24.
Convicted
25.
investigated
26.
arrested
27.
all of these
ANS:
D
LO: 1 │4
│7
REF: p. 68
24.
The tallies maintained by local law enforcement agencies are
incomplete due to:
25.
victim non-reporting.
26.
political pressures to downplay the number of incidents in order
to manipulate public opinion.
27.
political pressures to inflate the number of incidents in order
to manipulate public opinion.
28.
all of these
ANS:
D
LO: 1 │4
│7
REF: p. 71
25.
The NCVS keeps track not only of rapes but also of:
26.
27.
28.
verbal threats to commit sexual assault.
29.
all of these
ANS:
D
LO: 1
│6
REF: p. 73
TRUE/FALSE
1. Until
the 1970’s, few efforts were made to systematically monitor and measure
indicators of crime victimization.
2. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
1
REF: p. 59
2. Patterns
reflect predictable relationships or regular occurrences that show up during an
analysis of data.
3. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1 │9
REF: p. 60
3. Profiles
are meaningful numbers that reveal important information.
4. true
b. false
ANS:
F
LO: 1
│9
REF: p. 61
4. Official
statistics are data compiled and published by governmental agencies.
5. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
1
REF: p. 60
5. Statistics
can reveal patterns of criminal activity.
6. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1 │8
│9
REF: p. 59
6. Statistics
can influence decision makers or shape public opinion.
7. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1 │8
│9
REF: p. 61
7. It is
easy to ‘lie’ with statistics.
8. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1 │8
│9
REF: p. 59
8. Public
officials did not start keeping records about crime until the 1900s.
9. true
b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
1
REF: p. 60
9. Crime
Clocks lack an important measurement of risk—the recognition that there are
millions of possible victims throughout the United States.
10.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1
│4
REF: p. 63
10.
The Uniform Crime Report was initially published in 1979.
11.
true
b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
1
REF: p. 71
11.
The National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is an
overhaul of the UCR.
12.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1
│5
REF: p. 63
12.
One of the problems affecting the accuracy of the UCR is the
hierarchy rule.
13.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1
│4
REF: p. 78
13.
The first national victims’ survey was conducted in 1966.
14.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
1
REF: p. 68
14.
The U.S. Census Bureau conducted the first national survey about
victimization in the United States.
15.
true b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
1
REF: p. 69
15.
Another method for collecting data on crime in addition to the
UCR and the NCVS is self-report surveys.
16.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
1
REF: p. 68
16.
Forward telescoping involves victims believing the crime
occurred within the desired reporting period when in actuality it occurred long
before.
17.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1 │4
│7
REF: p. 70
17.
The Census Bureau collects the data for the National Crime
Victimization Survey (NCVS).
18.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1
│6
REF: p. 69
18.
Participants in the National Crime Victimization Survey are
interviewed every six months for three years.
19.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1
│6
REF: p. 69
19.
Instead of just 8 closely watched UCR index offenses, FBI
computers are now prepared to keep track of 46 Group A offenses.
20.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
1
REF: p. 67
20.
The National Crime Victimization Survey includes everyone in the
household ages 12 and over..
21.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1 │6
REF: p. 74
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Discuss
the ways statistics are used in determining the amount of crime in the United
States.
ANS: Though we will never have the ‘big picture’ of
crime, we can get close to understanding how much crime exists in the United
States through the use of empirical research and statistics. Statistics provide
an estimate of victimization rates, allowing us to understand which crimes are
more harmful to which individuals or groups. Statistics can provide a numerical
probability of being a victim of a particular crime in one’s lifetime. We can
get a sense of patterns or trends of crimes through time and place. Profiles
can be developed from crime statistics, providing law enforcement with an
understanding of which characteristics are more relevant in terms of
victimization and offending. Statistics offer an accurate portrayal of how the
financial harm to society in addition to losses of other resources. From here,
we can develop plans on how to address crime in the future. In addition, we can
evaluate how current means to address crime are doing—whether they are
effective and efficient in their goals to address crime.
LO: 1 │9
REF: p.
59-61
2. Compare
and contrast the FBI’s Uniform
Crime Report to the National Crime Victimization Survey.
Be sure to discuss its sources of information and how data from each is
interpreted.
ANS: The two official sources of victimization data are the UCR
and the NCVS.
Similarities: Both provide a numerical description of the rate
of various street crimes.
Both police departments and individuals in the households that
are a part of the NCVS provide the data voluntarily. They are both only
reliable to the extent that the national sample is truly representative of the
general population of the country.
Differences: The UCR tracks crimes known to the police via an
arrest. The NCVS records self-reported victimization. The UCR is data from
police departments and the source of the NCVS is individuals 12 and over in
randomly selected households. The UCR in incident based, the NCVS is
person-centered. The UCR examines crimes that occurred at one point and time
(at the point of arrest) whereas the NCVS looks at crimes across time (through
the question to respondents on how many crimes they experienced over the past
year).
LO: 1 │3
│6
REF: p. 62-65
3. Using
what you know about the NCVS and the UCR, critique the data derived from the
Crime Clock.
ANS: One can get the perception from the Crime
Clock that it is just a matter of time before one becomes a victim—the sense
that it is inevitable. Some argue the statistics developed from the Crime Clock
are actually under-representative of the true number due to the methodological
issues in data collection for the UCR. Many crimes are not reported and the
clock is based on reported crimes only. Generally, it is true the Crime Clock
should be viewed with caution to its accurate representation. The Clock is an
annual ratio of crime to fixed time intervals. In reality, we know the rate of
crime varies by time of day, time of year, and location. The Clock shows
projections over an entire year and is not a predictor of when or how often a
particular crime does occur. It does not take into account the total number of
people in the country but uses seconds, minutes, hours or days as its
denominator. It has created more social fear of crime than is actually
statistically representative of reality.
LO:
1-4
REF: p. 62-65
4. Outline
and discuss the NIBRS system. Who compiles this data? How does this system
compare in age to the UCR and the NCVS? What are the purposes of NIBRS, and how
does it contribute to the understanding of victimization?
ANS: The NIBRS addresses some of the deficiencies
in the collection of data for the UCR. The hierarchy rule of the UCR is
removed. There are 46 crimes covered, as opposed to the eight index crimes
covered in the UCR. Distinctions are made between attempts and successful
completion of crimes, where in the UCR they were tabulated into one category.
The data is still collected by police departments and sent to the FBI. It is
becoming more similar to the NCVS in that it is not tracking victimization data
never tabulated in the UCR, such as victim demographics, type of injury
suffered, whether there was a relationship to the offender, and other variables
of concern in aggravated assault and homicide cases. We obtain more information
about murder through the NIBRS than any other data collection source.
LO 1 │3
-5
REF: p. 68-70
5. Weigh
the criticisms and praise for all the data collection methods described in this
chapter. If you could only use one source to write a report about crime in your
neighborhood, which would you use and why?
ANS: It would depend on the type of crime I wanted
to focus on. For example, if the focus was homicide I would choose the NIBRS as
it is the only source with information outside of an arrest for homicide. I could
analyze characterizations of victims, locations, the relationship between the
victim and offender, and aspects of the crime itself. In general, the NCVS
would be the source I would select as there are too many methodological
problems with the UCR. First, there are political pressures to either reduce or
increase the total number of crimes within a police officer’s jurisdiction.
Second, it relies only on arrest. There are many reasons why individuals do not
report crime. One example would be not wanting the offender to get into
trouble, as they are either family or friend. Most crimes occur between
individuals who know each other. We would get an inaccurate depiction of crimes
as conducted by strangers.
LO:
1-7
REF: p. 71-75
TEST BANK
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. In
accounting for repeat victimizations, the term ________________ focuses on the
offender.
1. penal
couple
2. duet
frame of reference
3. boost
explanation
4. flag
explanation
ANS:
C
LO: 1│2
REF: p. 124
2. In
accounting for repeat victimizations, the term _____ emphasizes the
vulnerability and attractiveness of the target.
1. penal
couple
2. duet
frame of reference
3. boost
explanation
4. flag
explanation
ANS:
D
LO: 1│2
REF: p. 124
3. Responsibility
for one’s conduct is a changing concept. Its interpretation can be influenced
by:
1. social
conditions
2. political
conditions
3. all
of these
4. cultural
conditions
ANS:
C
LO: 1│3
REF: p. 128
4. The
term _____ refers to those situations in which victims carelessly and
unknowingly make it easier for a criminal to commit a theft.
1. provocation
2. precipitation
3. facilitation
4. curiosity
ANS:
C
LO: 2
REF: p. 124
5. Auto
theft and burglary are the property crimes most often cited by victimologists
who study the problem of:
1.
2. precipitation
3.
4.
ANS:
C
LO:
2│5
REF: p. 124
6. By
definition, victim-facilitated burglaries are not break-ins but acts of:
1.
2.
3. criminal
mischief.
4.
ANS:
B
LO:
2│4
REF: p. 126
7. The
NCVS keeps track of categories of burglaries, including:
1. unlawful
entries.
2. attempted
forcible entries.
3. forcible
entries.
4. all
of these.
ANS:
D
LO:
4
REF: p. 145
8. The
_____ of the head of the household is the most important determinant of whether
or not someone is likely to facilitate a burglary.
1. socio-economic
status
2. race
3. age
4. gender
ANS:
C
LO:
2│4
REF: p. 145
9. The
theory of _____ implies that the person who gets hurt significantly contributed
to the outbreak of the violence.
1. provocation
2. precipitation
3. facilitation
4. penal
couple
ANS:
B
LO:
2│3
REF: p. 128
10.
_____ implies that the loser is more responsible than the victor
for the victimization that occurred.
1. Provocation
2. Precipitation
3. Facilitation
4. Penalization
ANS:
A LO:
2
REF: p. 159
11.
_____ has been applied to situations in which victims played a
contributory role in their own demise.
1. Provocation
2. Boost
explanation
3. Facilitation
4. Subintentional
death
ANS:
D
LO:
2│3
REF: p. 129
12.
________________ would not be considered a victim of homicide.
1. A
bank robber killed by bank guard
2. An
offender killed by use of excessive force by police
3. A
passerby hit by police gun fire
4. A
owner killed during a robbery
ANS: A
LO:
1│2
REF: p. 129
13.
A _____ is a classification scheme that aids in the
understanding of what a group has in common and how it differs from others.
1. typology
2. trend
3. rate
4. profile
ANS:
A
LO:
5
REF: p. 142
14.
Arguments that the victims of a crime might share responsibility
with their offenders for what happened due to facilitation, precipitation, and
provocation have been characterized as:
1. just
world outlook.
2. victim
defending.
3. victim
blaming.
4. offender
blaming.
ANS:
C
LO:
3
REF: p. 156
15.
_____ challenges whether it is accurate and fair to try to hold
the wounded party accountable to some degree for his or her own injuries or
losses.
1. The
just world outlook
2. Victim
defending
3. Victim
4. Offender
blaming
ANS:
B
LO:
3│9
REF: p. 155
16.
_____ proceeds from the assumption that sometimes the victim
bears some responsibility for the crime.
1. The
just world outlook
2. Victim
defending
3. Victim
blaming
4. Offender
blaming
ANS:
C
LO:
3
REF: p. 155
17.
The belief that people get what they deserve is called:
1. the
just world outlook.
2. victim
defending.
3. victim
blaming.
4. offender
blaming.
ANS: A
LO:
3
REF: p. 132
18.
Which of the following is NOT an example of a ‘Technique of
Neutralization’?
1. “That
guy was asking for it!”
2. “They
are a bunch of crooks themselves!”
3. “We
should get a metal for this!”
4. “That
person did not deserve this!”
ANS:
D
LO:
3
REF: p. 133
19.
________ resists any attempt to shift the burden of full
responsibility off of lawbreakers’ backs and onto the victims’ shoulders.
1. The
just world outlook
2. Offender
defending
3. Victim
blaming
4. Offender
blaming
ANS:
D
LO:
3
REF: p. 133
20.
According to the tenets of _____, neither the offender nor the
victim is the real culprit.
1. the
just world outlook
2. system
blaming
3. victim
blaming
4. offender
blaming
ANS:
B
LO:
10
REF: p. 133
21.
________ are operations that dismantle stolen cars and sell the
parts as if they came from legitimate salvage and recycling pipelines.
1. Theft
rings
2. Chop
shops
3. Pawn
shops
4. all
of these
ANS:
B
LO:
5
REF: p. 139
22.
_______ bear no responsibility because they tried to protect
themselves by scrupulously following crime prevention tips suggested by
security specialists and by purchasing antitheft devices.
1. Conscientiously
resisting victims
2. Conventionally
cautious victims
3. Carelessly
facilitating victims
4. Precipitative
initiators
ANS:
A
LO:
1-3│6
REF: p. 142
23.
Victims who relied on antitheft features provided by automobile
manufacturers as standard equipment are known as:
1. conscientiously
resisting victims.
2. conventionally
cautious victims.
3. carelessly
facilitating victims.
4. precipitative
initiators.
ANS:
B
LO: 6
REF: p. 142
24.
Victims who set the stage for crimes of opportunity through
gross negligence are called:
1. conscientiously
resisting victims.
2. conventionally
cautious victims.
3. carelessly
facilitating victims.
4. precipitative
initiators.
ANS:
C
LO:
2
REF: p. 142
25.
Taking such precautions against auto theft as locking the doors,
activating an alarm, and parking in a well-monitored area are examples of:
1. victim
defending.
2. conventional
resistance.
3.
4. conscientious
resistance.
ANS:
D
LO:
6
REF: p. 142
26.
According to Federal Trade Commission estimates and NCVS data,
which of the following occurs more often in America each year:
1. auto
theft in cities and suburbs.
2. identity
theft.
3. home
burglaries.
4. aggravated
assaults.
ANS:
B
LO:
8
REF: p. 152
TRUE/FALSE
1. Shared
responsibility is a concept that there is a possible explanation for why a
particular person was a crime victim.
2. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
1
REF: p. 120
2. In
accounting for repeat victimizations, the theory of boost explanation focuses
on the offender.
3. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 1│2
REF: p. 124
3. In accounting
for repeat victimizations, the theory of duet frame of reference focuses on the
victim.
4. true
b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
3
REF: p. 124
4. The
term facilitation refers to those situations in which victims carelessly and
unknowingly make it easier for a criminal to commit a theft.
5. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
2
REF: p. 124
5. Auto
theft and burglary are the property crimes most often cited by victimologists
who study the problem of provocation.
6. true
b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
6
REF: p. 159
6. Single
family households are the most attractive sites for burglars.
7. true
b. false
ANS:
A
LO:
4
REF: p. 125
7. The
NCVS keeps track of attempted forcible entries.
8. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
4
REF: p. 145
8. Attempted
home invasions are not counted in the NCVS.
9. true
b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
4
REF: p.145
9. Unlawful
entries without force have risen sharply over the past 35 years.
10.
true b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
4
REF: p.126
10.
Out of 36 million alarm activations across the country responded
to by the police, about 95% were false alarms.
11.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
4
REF: p. 127
11.
The first in-depth investigation of what was deemed to be victim
precipitation centered on homicide.
12.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
2│11
REF: p. 124
12.
The term subintentional death has been applied to situations in
which victims played a contributory role in their own demise.
13.
true b. false
ANS:
D
LO:
2│11
REF: p. 129
13.
A profile is a classification system that aids in the
understanding of what a group has in common and how it differs from others.
14.
true b. false
ANS:
F
LO:
1
REF: p.148
14.
Arguments the victims of a crime might share responsibility with
their offenders for what happened due to facilitation, precipitation, and
provocation have been characterized as victim blaming.
15.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO: 3│9
REF: p. 128
15.
Victim defenders challenge whether it is accurate and fair to
try to hold the wounded party accountable to some degree for his or her own
injuries or losses.
16.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
9│11
REF: p. 132
16.
Victim blaming process starts when an assumption is made that there
is something wrong with the victim.
17.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
3
REF: p. 132
17.
Offender blaming resists any attempt to shift the burden of full
responsibility off of lawbreakers’ backs and onto the victims’ shoulders.
18.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
3
REF: p. 132
18.
Conscientiously resisting victims bear no responsibility because
they tried to protect themselves by scrupulously following crime prevention
tips suggested by security specialists and by purchasing anti-theft devices.
19.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
3
REF: p. 142
19.
Victims who deliberately singled out their vehicles for trouble
are called precipitative initiators.
20.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
2
REF: p. 142
20.
Locking the car doors, activating an alarm, and parking in a
well-monitored area are examples of target hardening.
21.
true b. false
ANS:
T
LO:
6
REF: p. 127
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Assume
a scenario where a husband has a long history of physical abuse toward his wife
and children. The wife’s order of protection and previous complaints to the
police has not stopped the abuse. One night, the wife shoots the husband in his
sleep. Examine this scenario from the perspectives of “victim blaming,” “victim
defending,” and “system blaming.”
ANS: Victim blaming would argue the wife should have left him
when the abuse began. She facilitated the crime by staying with her abusive
husband. Victim defending would argue no one is to blame for having violent
crimes committed against them. System blaming would take the angle of arguing
the criminal justice system did not do its job of protecting the wife, noting
the wife did attempt to stop the violence through the orders of protection and
the complaints to the police
LO:
3│9│11 REF:
p. 155-157
2. The
notions of victim facilitation, precipitation, and provocation have been
derived from the broader theme of shared responsibility. Outline and discuss
each of these concepts. Compare and contrast them.
ANS: Victim facilitation refers to when a victim helps an
offender due to their own carelessness. People who do not guard their
possessions carefully are more apt to be partially blamed for the crime. For
example, leaving a purse completely unattended at a bar provides an opportunity
for a would-be thief to take it and run. This is different from victim
precipitation where a victim is believed to contribute significantly to the
crime. This is common in crimes of violence where there is no clear cut
explanation for how the crime was ignited. Precipitation stepped up a notch is
called provocation. This is a stronger term of condemnation than the former.
Here the injured party is thought to have contributed to the responsibility of
the crime through either challenging the offender or inciting the violence that
ensured in some way. Precipitation and provocation have been used interchangeably
in victimology, which is unfortunate as they are two distinct terms indicating
shared responsibility.
LO:
1-3│9-11 REF: p. 128-136
3. Arguments
that the victims of crime might share responsibility with their offenders are
common in victimology. Outline and discuss the concepts of victim blaming and
victim defending.
ANS: If a victim has taken steps to reduce the risk of
victimization, she is considered blameless in the crime. In situations where
the crime is a rouse, either for financial gain or to cover up another crime,
the ‘victim’ would be considered responsible. Victim blaming incorporates those
crimes where the victim is seen as being involved with the offender somehow in
the commission of the crime. Victimologists describe a three stage through
process with victim blaming beginning with the idea that there is something
wrong with the victim in terms of their behavior or attitude. Second, these
differences are considered the reason for their victimization. Third, victims
are assumed to want to avoid future victimization through changing their
behavior or attitude. The underlying belief to this thought process is a
justification for others in society; a reasoning for why crime would not happen
to them. “She was a victim because she acted carelessly. I don’t act
carelessly, therefore it won’t happen to me”. The idea of a just world reduces
fear of victmization. Victim defending argues those who blame victims are
overstating the extent to which victims are generally involved in the crime. In
addition, they argue the advice given to reduce victimization is not realistic
given the conditions of, for example, inner city neighborhoods where risk may
not be avoided. Two arguments tend to go with victim defending. First is the
concept of offender blaming where the full responsibility is given to the
offender for the crime. The second is system blaming. This concept advocates
the institutions in our social system are to blame.
LO:
3│9
REF: p.120-121, 130-133, 144
4. Why are
some individuals chronically victimized? How does this tie into the concept of
shared responsibility?
ANS: Often the focus for shared responsibility are with victims
who have had many experiences with falling prey to crime. It is not uncommon
for offenders to target the same victims multiple times in a period of time. In
fact, being a victim in the past is one of the best predictors of whether an
individual will be harmed again, by the same offender or another one. The more
victimizations one experiences, the higher the probability of future
victimization. Individuals who are chronically victimized tend to hang out in
‘hot spots’, which are areas with high crime rates. People who have experienced
multiple victimizations are also those who tend to not learn from past mistakes
and routinely do the same things that made them high risk for victimization to
begin with. Analysts offer two reasons for repeat victimizations and these are
boost and flag explanations. The first looks at offender behavior and how successful
crimes tend to dictate the location and person for the second attempt. For
example, a house successfully burglarized is one likely to be targeted again.
Flag explanations focus on victims and refer to vulnerable or attractive
opportunities and targets. For example, taxi drivers are often mugged because
they are an attractive opportunity as they carry good sums of cash.
LO:
1│10-11 REF: 122-124
5. Using
the typologies of different kinds of victims of burglary to illustrate the
differences between complete innocence, facilitation, precipitation,
provocation, and full responsibility.
ANS: Conscientiously resisting victims are blameless in cases of
burglary. They followed all the crime prevention tips and purchased house alarm
systems. These victims take the crime of burglary seriously, even making sure
they have all the receipts, descriptions, and proper insurance coverage for
items in their homes. Conventionally cautious victims locked their houses at
night and made sure some lights were on when they were not home, but did not
take the extra precautions the conscientiously resisting victims did—such as a
house alarm. Therefore, both groups are considered blameless, although they
might be susceptible to criticism for not resisting enough. Carelessly
facilitating victims leave their house doors unlocked and are not conscious of
simple risk avoidance techniques such a leaving a light on in the house when
they leave at night. They are considered partly responsible as they did not
remotely attempt to thwart a burglars objective. Precipitative initiators took
steps that went beyond carelessness to facilitate the burglary for their own
gain, such as having their old stereo system stolen from their house so the
insurance will pay for a new one. They may have left the front door wide open,
or left for a trip and did not lock any doors or windows while they were gone.
Provocative conspirators are accomplices to the crime. In other words, the
crime would not have occurred without their assistance. They may seek to pay a
criminal to burglarize their home so they may obtain the insurance money.
Finally, fabricating simulators are not victims because they are making up the
story of burglary for their own fiduciary gain. No crime occurred, except of course
the insurance fraud the so-called victim facilitated.
LO: 2│4
REF:
130-131, 140-142
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