Victimology

Question 1

Victimology

Answer 1

• Growing area in academic research and CJS since 1980s
• Growth in Victim surveys
• Victim focus is often discussed in ‘identity politics’ debates

Question 2

Patterns of crime: Serious Sexual Assaults on women over 16

Answer 2

• 47% partner/ex
• 4% family
• 33% other known
• 16% stranger

Question 3

Patterns of Crime: Age at victimisation

Answer 3

• Males: 16-35
• Females: 25-50
• Theft was the largest crime reported

Question 4

Patterns of Crime: Ethnicity

Answer 4

Black people far more likely to be victims of crime

Question 5

Patterns of crime: Social Class

Answer 5

Most deprived areas more likely to be victims of crime

Question 6

Argeuments FOR victimology

Answer 6

• Victims’ experiences are the most important thing about crime
• Should focus on identifying victims and lifting them up at the expense of those who victimised them
• Can encourage more victims to make complaints against offenders if we take this approach
• Postmodernists, some feminists, Marxists

Question 7

Arguments AGAINST Victimology

Answer 7

• Focusing on victim too much may make them helpless - becomes primary identity
• Lifting 1 group up over another just creates new victims instead of solving the problem
• Will encourage over reporting, malicious complaints, and stop victims ever moving on
• Functionalists, RR, LR, NR, some feminists