SOCI2663 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Victim Blaming, Trait Theory, Control Theory
Criminology Theories and Victims October 3,5 & 7 2016
Victimization Theories
Generally a set of testable propositions designed to explain why a person is
victimized
Why some people are more likely than others to get victimized?
Is it because they provoke their victimization?
Is it because crime victims are perceived by offender to be more vulnerable?
Is there some personality trait that influenced victimization risk?
oPassive or active
oRisk factors
Classical Criminology
Assumes individuals who commit crime are active and rational participants in
their decisions to commit criminal acts
People choose to commit criminal actions
Consciously aware that they do harm
As people are choosing to have criminal behaviour they should be punished
proportionally in light of harm caused
Implies the victim has a role (pg. 61)
Criminal Event Perspective
Shapes the outlook of individuals seeking to explain criminal behaviour
Participants in the criminal event include the offender, the victim and any public
reaction that may occur, either directly through witnessing the event or indirectly
through other means
Three stages
Criminal precursors: all factors leading up to the event for all participants
Criminal transaction: actual victimizing activity
Aftermath of crime: all events that happen to the participants after the
victimization has taken place
Theories:
Examine interaction between victim and offender
Look at crime in a larger social contest
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The underlying assumption of this perspective is that the victim is a rational being
and an active participant In the criminal event; this assumption creates the risk of
victim-blaming
Rational Choice Theories
Victim is seen as a rational participant in the criminal event and active in his/her
life
Focus on what happens just before and during a criminal event
oLifestyles
oRoutine activities
oDeterrence
oRational choice perspective
Lifestyles
Certain behavioural patterns create an opportunities structure for criminals
Some lifestyle choices can lead to risk of victimization
Hanging in bars at night and drinking alcohol can increase the risk for
victimization
Nature of patterning victimization behaviour
The more time that individuals spend in public places the more likely they are to
be victimized
Following certain lifestyles makes individuals more likely to frequent public
places
The interactions that individuals maintain tend to be with persons who shared
their lifestyles
The probability that individuals will be victims increase according to the extent to
which victims and offenders belong to the same demographic categories
The proportion of time individuals spend in places where there is a large number
of non family members varies according to lifestyle
The chances of individual being the victim of a crime increased in conjunction
with the amount of time that an individual spends among non family members
Differences in lifestyle relate to the ability of individuals to isolate themselves
from those with offender characteristics
Variations in lifestyle influenced the convenience, desirability, and ease of
victimizing individuals
find more resources at oneclass.com
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