Transcript of Environmental Theory The Nature of Victimization
- 1. Environmental Theory
- 2. The Nature of Victimization
- Since 1993 the number of victimizations are declining
- Patterns of victimization are stable
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- Victimization is not random
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- Becoming a crime victim has a lot to do with personal and
ecological factors
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- Researchers can make judgments about the nature of
victimization
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- Efforts can be made to reduce the victimization rate
- 3. Environmental Criminology
- Examines the location of a specific crime and the context in
which it occurred in order to understand and explain crime
patterns.
- Where and when did the crime occur?
- What are the physical and social characteristics of the crime
site?
- What movements bring offender and target together at the crime
site?
- 4. Rational Choice Perspective Clark & Cornish
- Rational Choice perspective developed by Ronald Clarke and
Derek Cornish and based on two theoretical approaches
- Based on utilitarianism, assumes that people make decisions
with the goal of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.
- Based on traditional economic choice theory, which argues that
people will evaluate the options and choose what they believe will
satisfy their needs.
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- Rational choice implies a limited sense of rationality, that
is, an offender does not know all the details of a situation;
rather he or she relies on cues in the environment or
characteristics of targets
- Most crime is ordinary and committed by reasoning individuals
who decide that the chances of getting caught are low and the
possibilities for a relatively good pay off is high.
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- A variety of factors or characteristics come into play when an
offender decides to commit a crime. These factors are called choice
structuring-properties
- Characteristics fall into two distinct sets: those of the
offender and those of the offence.
- 7. Decision to commit burglary Selected (Middle Class Area)
Easily accessible few police patrols low security housing larger
gardens Rejected (Middle Class Area) Unfamiliar; distant
neighborhood watch no public transport Burgled Home no one at home:
Especially affluent, detached, patio doors bushes and other cover
corner site Not Burgled Home Nosy neighbors, burglar alarm nor rear
access, visible from street window locks; dog
- 8. Routine-Activity Approach Cohen & Felson
- A crime can occur only if there is someone who intends to
commit a crime (likely offender).
- Something or someone to be victimized (a suitable target).
- No other person present to prevent or observe the crime (the
absence of a capable guardian).
- No person to control the activities of the offender (personal
handler).
- 9. Components of a Criminal Event
- 10.
- Routine patterns of work, play, and leisure time affect the
convergence in time and place of motivated offenders who are not
handled, suitable targets, and the absence of guardians
- If one component is missing, crime is not likely to be
committed.
- 11. Routine-Activity Approach
- Certain technological changes and alterations in the workforce
create new crime opportunities
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- Increase in female participation in the labor force
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- Out-of-town travel, automobile usage, and technological
advances that account for higher risks of predatory
victimization.
- 12. Theories of Victimization Lifestyle Theories
- The probability of suffering a personal victimization is
directly related to the amount of time that a person spends in
public places.
- The probability of being in public places varies as a function
of lifestyle.
- Social contacts and interactions occur disproportionately among
individuals who share similar lifestyles.
- 13. Lifestyle Theories Continued
- An individuals chances of personal victimization are dependent
upon the extent to which the individual shares demographic
characteristics with offenders.
- The proportion of time that an individual spends among
non-family members varies as a function of lifestyle.
- The probability of personal victimization increases as a
function of the proportion of the time that an individual spends
among non-family members.
- 14. Lifestyle Theories Continued
- Variations in lifestyle are associated with variations in the
ability of individuals to isolate themselves from persons with
offender characteristics.
- Variations in lifestyle are associated with variations in the
convenience, the desirability, and visibility of the person as a
target for a personal victimization.
- 15. Burglars and Burglary
- Before committing their offenses, burglars take into
account
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- Familiarity with the area,
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- Concern over standing out as somebody who does not belong
- 16. Burglars and Burglary
- Planning professional burglars plan more than do amateurs
- Systematic selection of a home - some burglars examine clues
such as burglar alarm, watchdog, mail piled up in mailbox,
accumulated newspapers. Closed windows with A/C turned off
- Situational Cues some burglars routinely choose a corner
property for it offers avenues of escape, fewer adjoining
properties low visibility.
- 17. Victim-Offender Interaction Marvin Wolfgang
- Coined the term victim precipitation to refer to situations
where victims initiate the confrontations that lead to their
death.
- Wolfgang estimated that as many as one quarter to one half of
intentional homicides are victim precipitated.
- 18. Theories of Victimization Continued
- 19. Repeat victimization
- Dispel the myth that crime is uniformly distributed. A small
number of people and places account for a large amount of the
crimes committed.
- Risk of repeat burglary are highest immediately after a
previous burglary
- Offenders choose targets based on the knowledge they gained in
the previous victimization about the risks and rewards of a
particular offence.
- 20. Hot Spots
- Studies show that certain types of crime are concentrated in
what police refers to as hot spots
- The researchers surmise that attempts to prevent victimization
should be focused not on victims but on the places themselves by
making them less vulnerable to crime.
- 21. Geography of Crime
- Researchers have found that more crime occurs around high
schools and blocks with bars, liquor stores, the city center and
abandoned buildings .
- 22. The Social Ecology of Victimization
- Violent crimes are slightly more likely to occur in a public
area during daytime or early evening hours
- More serious violent crimes typically occur after 6 p.m. to 6
a.m.
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- Rape and aggravated assault
- Less serious violent crimes more likely occur in the day
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- Purse snatching and unarmed robberies
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- The risk of murder is highest in disorganized inner-city
areas
- Rural areas have significantly lower victimization rates than
urban areas (half as much)
- Schools are also the location of many victimization
- 24. The Victims Household
- In the U.S. certain homes are more vulnerable to crimes
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- Larger homes (family size)
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- Rural white homes in the Northeast are least likely to contain
crime victims
- 25. Important Victim Characteristics
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- Males are more likely to be the victims of violent crimes
(robbery/assault)
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- Except for rape or sexual assault
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- Two thirds of women are victimized by someone they know or live
with
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- Half of male victims are attacked by someone they know
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- With the increase in gender equality, womens victimization
rates are as well
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- Young people have a much higher victimization rate
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- Victim risk rapidly diminishes after age 25
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- By age 65 chances of being victimized greatly decrease
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- 1% of violent victimizations
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- With increases in reports of elder abuse, victimization rates
for the elderly will increase
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- More likely to be victims of crimes such as
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- The poorest Americans are the most likely victims of violent
and property crime
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- Regardless of age, gender, and race
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- The wealthy are more likely the targets of personal theft
crimes
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- Never-married men and women have higher victimization rates
than married people
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- Widows and widowers have the lowest victimization rate
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- The relationship between marital status and victimization is
probably influenced by gender, age, and lifestyle
- 28. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
- Originated by C. Ray Jeffery
- CPTED posits that environments can be altered, often at little
expense, to decrease victimization.
- Defensible Space by Oscar Newman refers to improved
architectural designs, particularly of public housing, in order to
provide increased security.
- 29. Situational Crime Prevention
- The phantom crime prevention at Disney World
- Situational prevention of auto theft
- 30. Top 25 Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles in 2001
- 31. 1995 Honda Civic 1991 Honda Accord 1989 Toyota Camry 1997
Ford F150 Series 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup 1994 Acura Integra
2004 Dodge Ram Pickup 1994 Nissan Sentra 1988 Toyota Pickup 2007
Toyota Corolla Source: Intellichoice.com 2008