Victimology
definition
Secondary victimisation
When the way in which the police/ govt. deal w/ a victim
✔cause further harm → victim
Victim precipitation
Identifies processes through which ppl. Contribute → their
own victimisation
Examines the extent to which a victim’s actions may
have contribute to the severity of crime
E.g. WOLFGANG — 588 homicides in Philadelphia → 26%
involved victim precipitation → victim triggered events →
homicide
Victim proneness
Identify factors in individuals that make some ppl. / grps = ↑
likely to be victims & ∴ produce patterns in victimisation
Repeat victimisation
If you have been a victim once, = very likely to be one again
De-labeling
Deny victim official ‘victim status’ & blames them for their
fate
Hierarchy of victimisation
Conceptional framework that suggests a ranking/
prioritisation of victims based on stereotype of ideal victim
favoured by media
E.g. child/ women/ elderly
Fear of victimisation
Scared of becoming a victim
E.g. women = ↑ afraid of going out for fear of attack
BUT young male = main victims of violence from
strangers
‘Ideal’ victim
Someone who fits the stereotype of a victim
Weak/innocent/ blameless individual — e.g. small
child/ old woman
Waves of harm
Collective response where a whole grp./ community feels
hurt by a crime that has actually happened
When whole community becomes intimidates
E.g. hate crime against ethnic minorities create waves
of harm — society attacks one grp.
Denial of victim status
The state power ( moral entrepreneurs/ social control
agencies) deny the label of victims
, UN def. Of vicitimology
Those who have suffered harm (including mental, physical or emotional,
economic loss & impairment of their basic rights) through acts/omissions →
the laws of the state
Positivist
MIERS
3 features of positivist victimology:
Victim proneness
Identify factors in individuals that make some ppl. /
grps = ↑ likely to be victims & ∴ produce patterns in
victimisation
Focuses on interpersonal crimes of violence + how
interactions between offenders & victims → victimisation
Victim precipitation
Identifies processes through which ppl. Contribute →
their own victimisation
Examines the extent to which a victim’s actions
may have contribute to the severity of crime
WOLFGANG — 588 homicides in Philadelphia
→ 26% involved victim precipitation → victim
triggered events → homicide (e.g. being 1st to
use violence)
GOTTFREDSON & GAROFALO — 5
demographic factors that precipitate
victimisation
Age, gender, material status, family
income, race
EVALUATION
Ignores victims of state & corporate crime
Ignore how the label of victim ✔ be provided by state
Focus on Situational context, ignores wider structural factors — e.g.
poverty/ patriarchy
Victim blaming — as Focus on victim precipitation
Ignores situations where victims = unaware of their victimisation (e.g.
crime against environment, harm = done but did not break laws)
Critical
Based on conflict theory
Features:
Structural factors (e.g. poverty/ patriarchy)
Women/ children = greatest risk of victimisation
MAWBY & WALKLATE— Victimisation = forms of
structural powerlessness
definition
Secondary victimisation
When the way in which the police/ govt. deal w/ a victim
✔cause further harm → victim
Victim precipitation
Identifies processes through which ppl. Contribute → their
own victimisation
Examines the extent to which a victim’s actions may
have contribute to the severity of crime
E.g. WOLFGANG — 588 homicides in Philadelphia → 26%
involved victim precipitation → victim triggered events →
homicide
Victim proneness
Identify factors in individuals that make some ppl. / grps = ↑
likely to be victims & ∴ produce patterns in victimisation
Repeat victimisation
If you have been a victim once, = very likely to be one again
De-labeling
Deny victim official ‘victim status’ & blames them for their
fate
Hierarchy of victimisation
Conceptional framework that suggests a ranking/
prioritisation of victims based on stereotype of ideal victim
favoured by media
E.g. child/ women/ elderly
Fear of victimisation
Scared of becoming a victim
E.g. women = ↑ afraid of going out for fear of attack
BUT young male = main victims of violence from
strangers
‘Ideal’ victim
Someone who fits the stereotype of a victim
Weak/innocent/ blameless individual — e.g. small
child/ old woman
Waves of harm
Collective response where a whole grp./ community feels
hurt by a crime that has actually happened
When whole community becomes intimidates
E.g. hate crime against ethnic minorities create waves
of harm — society attacks one grp.
Denial of victim status
The state power ( moral entrepreneurs/ social control
agencies) deny the label of victims
, UN def. Of vicitimology
Those who have suffered harm (including mental, physical or emotional,
economic loss & impairment of their basic rights) through acts/omissions →
the laws of the state
Positivist
MIERS
3 features of positivist victimology:
Victim proneness
Identify factors in individuals that make some ppl. /
grps = ↑ likely to be victims & ∴ produce patterns in
victimisation
Focuses on interpersonal crimes of violence + how
interactions between offenders & victims → victimisation
Victim precipitation
Identifies processes through which ppl. Contribute →
their own victimisation
Examines the extent to which a victim’s actions
may have contribute to the severity of crime
WOLFGANG — 588 homicides in Philadelphia
→ 26% involved victim precipitation → victim
triggered events → homicide (e.g. being 1st to
use violence)
GOTTFREDSON & GAROFALO — 5
demographic factors that precipitate
victimisation
Age, gender, material status, family
income, race
EVALUATION
Ignores victims of state & corporate crime
Ignore how the label of victim ✔ be provided by state
Focus on Situational context, ignores wider structural factors — e.g.
poverty/ patriarchy
Victim blaming — as Focus on victim precipitation
Ignores situations where victims = unaware of their victimisation (e.g.
crime against environment, harm = done but did not break laws)
Critical
Based on conflict theory
Features:
Structural factors (e.g. poverty/ patriarchy)
Women/ children = greatest risk of victimisation
MAWBY & WALKLATE— Victimisation = forms of
structural powerlessness
