Criminology II Nature and Extent of Crime Unit 3

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Criminology IINature and Extent of CrimeUnit 3

• Jessica R. Dunham, M.S.

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Announcements

• Due this week
• Read Chapter 3
• Quiz
• Discussion board

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Unit 2 Recap

• Nationally-representative data collection
  consists of
• UCR
• NCVS
• NIBRS
• Crime trends typically based on official data
• Self-report Surveys expand the knowledge of the
  nature and extent of crime beyond officially
  reported data
• However, Self-report Surveys also have
  methodological issues

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Unit 3

• This week your reading discusses the contribution
  of the victim to the crime incident. For the
  victim, this is known as victimization. In doing
  so, we have (or will) read about different
  victimization theories.
• What is Victimization?

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Victimization

• The act of being a victim of a crime
• The victims view in a crime event
• Are victimization events stable over time?

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(Rand Thurman, 2010)
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(Rand, 2008)
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(Rand Thurman, 2010)
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(Rand Thurman, 2010)
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(Rand Thurman, 2010)
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Violent Crime Victimization Gender
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Victimization

• NCVS victimization findings are fairly stable
  from year to year with a slight decline in the
  last couple years.
• Although in decline the rates from year to year
  by gender are fairly consistent across genders.

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Victimization

• Why is this stability important?

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Victimization

• Why is this stability important?
• How does it relate to research, theory
  construction/assessment, and crime prevention?

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Victimization

• Stability of victimization findings allow
• Assessment of theories of victimization
• Development of new theories of victimization
• Development of crime prevention strategies
• Development of more effective law enforcement
  strategies
• Assessment of the detailed nature of victimization

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What Theories of Victimization exist?
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What Theories of Victimization exist?

• Victim Precipitation Theory
• Life Style Theory
• Routine Activity Theory
• Deviant Place Theory

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Victim Precipitation Theory

• Victims utilize provocative behavior that leads
  to their subsequent victimization
• Active vs. Passive
• How do these differ?

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Victim Precipitation Theory

• Victims utilize provocative behavior that leads
  to their subsequent victimization
• Active vs. Passive
• Active includes physical gestures or words
• Passive consists of unknowing threats

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Lifestyle Theory

• An individuals high-risk lifestyle gives him/her
  a greater chance for victimization
• Links victimization to both individual behavior
  and the social structure

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Lifestyle-Exposure Theory

• Role Expectations and social structure impose
  constraints that must be adapted for smooth
  function in society
• Lack of adaptation to society leads to a
  lifestyle that leads to exposure
• Which can lead to victimization

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Lifestyle-Exposure Theory
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Deviant place Theory

• Individuals are more likely to become a victim
  because they live in areas of high social
  disorganization
• This exposure to the criminal activities of
  others then leads to possible victimization
• Thus, victimization is a function of place not
  of ones lifestyle

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Routine activity Theory

• Convergence in time and space of motivated
  offenders and suitable targets in the absence of
  capable guardians leads to criminal opportunity

(Cohen/Felson, 1979)
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Routine activity Theory
Victimization Occurs Because These coincide
Eck (1994)
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Routine activity Theory
Victimization Occurs Because These coincide
In the absence of effective Controllers
Eck (1994)
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Are these theories legitimate?
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How could they lead to victim-Blaming?

• What is Victim-blaming?

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How could they lead to victim-Blaming?

• What is Victim-blaming?
• When the victim is held completely or partially
  responsible for the crime, whether informally or
  formally

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Are the theories Still Legitimate if they lead to
victim-blaming?
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Unit 5 Mid-Term Project

• 12-17 slide PowerPoint presentation (including
  title page references slide)
• Discuss Routine Activity Theory (RAT) (do not
  copy my slides!)
• What are the main elements (2-3 slides)
• How can this theory explain how
  individuals/objects become victimized? (2-3
  slides)
• How does RAT involve concepts of rational choice
  theory (2-3 slides)
• Discuss how Situational Crime prevention
  Strategies can help to reduce crime within the
  context of RAT (2-3 slides)

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Unit 5 Mid-Term Project

• FORMAT
• Use Title slide, Outline Slide, Reference slide
• Include an Introduction a Conclusion slide
• Use examples
• Cite your sources (at least 2 beyond the
  textbook)
• 12-17 slides
• Be Creative ?

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QUESTIONS?

• Reminders
• AIM JessicaRDunham
• Email Jdunham_at_kaplan.edu
• Phone [phone]