CHAPTER 12
TARGETS AND VICTIMS OF CRIME
I. VICTIMOLOGY (Chapter 12):
Victimology: Scientific study of victims of crime
Victim characteristics:
Repeat Victimization:
Minnesota study (1985)
II. THEORIES OF VICTIMIZATION:
Hans Von Hentig (1941). a crime victim is
someone who shapes and molds the criminal
1. Victim Precipitation Theory:
Some victims actually initiate the confrontation
that may lead to their being attacked.
Active Precipitation: Victim actively
provokes the offender into retaliating.
Passive Precipitation: Victim
exhibits some personal characteristic that unknowingly threatens or
encourages an attacker.
2. Lifestyle Theories: Some people
lead a lifestyle that is just more prone to being victimized.
Equivalent Group Hypothesis:
Victims and criminal share similar characteristics.
Proximity Hypothesis: Some
people may become victims because they may live or work in close proximity
to the criminals
Deviant Place Hypothesis
: There are some places where crime is more likely to happen than
others.
III. THEORIES OF CRIME:
1) Rational Choice
Criminals make a personal
decision weighing the pros and cons of his actions based on the available
information.
Choice
Structuring Properties:
Offender specific
characteristics
and offense
specific characteristics
- target
availability
- physical
danger involved
- expertise
needed
- risk of
apprehension
- seriousness
of expected punishment
- potential
value of the act
2) Routine Activities Theory: Lawrence Cohen and Marcus
Felson.
Volume
of Predatory crime is linked with three variables:
1. Availability of suitable targets:
2. Absence of capable guardians:
3. Presence of motivated offenders