METHODOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES IN VICTIMOLOGY

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METHODOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES IN VICTIMOLOGY
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POSITIVIST VICTIMOLOGY

• Positivist methods- using the methods of the
  natural sciences
• Therefore quantitative
• Victimisation surveys developed due to the
  failings of official statistics. To uncover the
  DARK FIGURE
• THE LARGE VICTIMISATION SURVEY
• helps us to understand the circumstances and
  relationship between the victim and the Criminal
  justice Agencies
• probability of becoming a victim
• crime measurement

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VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS

• TO CAPTURE CRIME THAT DOES NOT ENTER THE OFFICIAL
  STATISTICS THE DARK FIGURE OF CRIME
• AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT (1960S WAR ON CRIME)
• FIRST NCS IN 1972.
• -PARTIALLY MEASURE THE DARK FIGURE OF CRIME
• -QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS
• EG WHY ARE SOME CRIMES NOT REPORTED TO THE
  POLICE (SOCIAL GROUPS , GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, TIME.)

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BRITAIN

• SPARKS ET AL (1977) SURVEYING VICTIMS
• HOME OFFICE (BCS) 1981
• RESULTS PUBLISHED BY HOUGH AND MAYHEW (1983)
• A STATISTICAL AVERAGE PERSON AGED 16 OR OVER
  CAN EXPECT A ROBBERY ONCE EVERY 5 CENTURIES ( NOT
  ATTEMPTED) AN ASSAULT RESULTING IN INJURY (EVEN
  SLIGHT) ONCE EVERY CENTURY, THE FAMILY CAR TO BE
  STOLEN OR TAKEN BY JOY RIDERS ONCE EVERY 60
  YEARS,
• A BURGLARY IN THE HOME EVERY 40 YEARS

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METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES

• ONLY MEASURES CRIMINAL INCIDENTS WHERE THERE IS
  AN IDENTIFIABLE VICTIM
• EG VICTIMLESS CRIMES - DRUG OFFENCES
• CONSENSUAL SEXUAL ACTS
• PROBLEMATIC NATURE OF IDENTIFIABLE VICTIM
  (HOMICIDE)
• ONLY MEASURES ORDINARY CRIME BOX (1981)

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• SAMPLING AND SAMPLING FRAMES
• MUST BE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAPTURE RARE EVENTS
• MUST BE REPRESENTATIVE OF ITS POPULATION - BCS
  ENGLAND AND WALES
• LOCAL CRIME SURVEY EG MERSEYSIDE.
• SAMPLE ELECTORAL REGISTER (BEFORE 1992)
• NOW USE OF PAF- CONSTANTLY UPDATED

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NON RESPONDENTS

• NON RESPONDENTS
• CAN RADICALLY EFFECT THE RESULTS . MAYHEW (1993)
  ARGUES THAT AMONG NON RESPONDENTS ARE A
  DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF VICTIMS.
• CRAWFORD (1990) ISLINGTON CRIME SURVEY-
• WOMEN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ARE LESS LIKELY TO WANT
  TO BE INTERVIEWED.
• OMIT THE EXPERIENCE OF CHILDREN. HOWEVER (1992
  BCS BOOSTER SAMPLE OF TEENAGERS
• OMITS THOSE IN INSTITUTIONS

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MEASUREMENT ERRORS

• VICTIMS TEND TO FORGET VICTIMIZATION
• FORWARD AND BACKWARD TELESCOPING (COLMAN AND
  MOYNIHAN (1996)
• CONCEALMENT AND FABRICATION -
• STANKO (1988) HIDDEN VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN EG
  SEXUAL OFFENCES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• CRITICISM FROM FEMINIST QUARTERS
• PAINTER (1991) 1 IN 4 WOMEN VICTIMS OF RAPE
• FABRICATION OF VICTIMIZATION
• NOT TO DISAPPOINT / TO GET SOMETHING DONE
• RESPONSE BIAS
• CLASS BASED- COLEMAN AND MOYNIHAN (1996) THE
  EDUCATIONAL FACTOR
• SPARKS (1981) VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS ARE CLASSROOM
  LIKE TASKS- BEST SUITED TO FORMAL EDUCATION.

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• DEFINITIONS OF CRIME
• -BCS USES LEGALISTIC DEFINITIONS OF CRIME OTHER
  VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS DO NOT
• -POLICE USE OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF CRIME
• RESULT- NO UNIFORMITY
• -DISCREET EVENTS. VICTIMIZATION AS A WAY OF
  LIFE (DOMESTIC VIOLENCE)
• FIRST CRIMINAL VICTIMISATION SURVEY LONDON 1977
  (SPARKS, GENN AND DODD)

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RADICAL VICTIMOLOGY

• LOCAL VICTIMISATION SURVEYS CAME TO THE
  FOREFRONT IN THE 1980S
• THE AIM IS TO HIGHLIGHT CRIME AND VICTIMISATION
  IN CERTAIN AREAS.
• MERSEYSIDE
• ISLINGTON - The influence of LEFT REALISM and
  the Square of Crime
• EDINBURGH
• CHALLENGES THE VIEW PUT FORWARD BY THE NATIONAL
  CRIME SURVEY THAT CRIME IS A RARE OCCURRENCE
• ILLUSTRATES THE CLASS, AGE, GENDER AND ETHNIC
  DIMENSIONS
• ILLUSTRATES THE -
• FEAR OF CRIME
• IMPACT OF CRIME
• USED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES ,(LOCAL GOVERNMENT) AND
  CRIME PREVENTION ORGANISATIONS TO FORM POLICY.
• THEREFORE OFTEN POLITICAL DRIVE FOR PREVENTION
  THROUGH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PERSONAL
  RESPONSIBILITY.

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• CRITIQUE
• POSITIVE METHODS THEREFORE STILL FOCUS ON
  PATTERNS AND REGULARITIES
• ASSUMES THAT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS IN PLAY.

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CRITICAL VICTIMOLOGY AND METHODS

• Feminist influence
• Research must consider the historical, social and
  political processes.
• Comparative and longitudinal studies must be
  employed. (Time Continuum)
• Private and Public
• Target Sampling
• Qualitative in nature

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• SENTURIA, SULLIVAN,CIRSKE ET AL (2000) Seattle
• Cultural issues and domestic violence affecting
  women of ethnic origin and the LBT community
• Two areas under investigation- access to
  services and cultural experience of D/V
• Methods one to one interviews
• Women situated their experiences against a
  backdrop of racial, sexual, and economic
  oppression and homophobia.
• Threats based on immigration / visa status
• Help culturally / linguistically inappropriate
• Immigration refugee communities encouraged not to
  go outside family/ community

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