Scott: Ch3 - Typologies of Victim–Victimizer Interaction

What event sparked the formation of the SlutWalk protest movement in Toronto?

A Toronto police constable commented to university law students that female victims of assault and sexual assault could avoid victimization by not dressing "like sluts."

Which book written by John Howard documented the severe conditions, fees, and abuses inside English and Welsh prisons?

The State of Prisons in England and Wales.

According to John Howard's documentation, what proportion of incarcerated individuals died from diseases like smallpox?

A quarter ($\frac{1}{4}$) of those incarcerated died of diseases such as smallpox.

What major prison reform recommendations were proposed by John Howard?

Cleanliness, proper clothing, adequate nutrition, segregation by sex and crime type, paid jailers, access to a chaplain, and work to occupy inmates' body and mind.

According to Carmody (1934), what specific reforms did Elizabeth Fry initiate in women's prisons?

She created schools for prisoners' children, provided adequate clothing and bedding, offered resources, and insisted on treating prisoners with dignity and without violence.

What was the title and publication year of Hans von Hentig's book that bridged law and psychology?

The Criminal and His Victim, published in 1948.

How did Hans von Hentig characterize the interactive roles of the offender and victim?

He described them as the "doer and the sufferer" and the "subject and the object," viewing them as engaged in an interpersonal relationship.

According to Hans von Hentig, what three factors dictate an individual's victim potential?

A combination of biology, socialization, and chance.

In Hans von Hentig's typology, how is "The Activating Sufferer" defined?

A victim who suffers pain and subsequently acts out to become an offender (e.g., someone sexually abused who becomes a sexual offender, or someone raised by an alcoholic tormentor who torments their own family).

How did Hans von Hentig describe the "Dull Normals" category in his General Class?

"Simple-minded," uneducated, and often poor persons.

What is the primary critical flaw identified in Hans von Hentig's concept of victim influence?

It implies victims wish to be victimized, assumes the victim can control the predator's malicious actions, and wrongly suggests engagement in activities warrants victimization.

Which theorist coined the term "victimology" and gathered case data using extensive questionnaires for offenders, victims, and witnesses?

Beniamin Mendelsohn.

How did Beniamin Mendelsohn define the term "victimity"?

The opposite of criminality; it refers to the quality or state of being a victim or that which constitutes being a victim.

What did Beniamin Mendelsohn mean by the concept of the "penal couple"?

The understanding that the victim and the offender often share characteristics and enter into a short relationship with assigned roles during the victimization event.

In Beniamin Mendelsohn's typology, who is considered a "simulating or imaginary victim"?

An individual who is not an actual victim but leads others to believe they were victimized (e.g., losing money in a card game but reporting a mugging).

How does Beniamin Mendelsohn define the "most guilty victim" category?

A victim who is injured while actively engaging in another criminal act (e.g., an individual injured during an illegal drug sale).

What book did Stephen Schafer publish in 1968 regarding victim responsibility?

The Victim and His Criminal.

In Stephen Schafer's typology, which category of victim possesses "responsibility equal to offender"?

Provocative victims (individuals who engage the offender, forcing the offender to react, such as insulting someone in a bar to start an altercation).

Which four types of victims are classified under "no responsibility" in Stephen Schafer's typology?

Unrelated victims, biologically weak victims, socially weak victims, and political victims.

What major limitations were identified regarding early victimology typologies?

They failed to address power dynamics between parties, maintained a primary focus on the offender, ignored damage inflicted after the act ended, and neglected victim recovery.

In Marvin Wolfgang's 1958 study Patterns in Criminal Homicide, what percentage of homicides were victim-precipitated?

$26\%$ of the sample (out of $588$ Philadelphia homicides studied between 1948 and 1952).

What characteristics were common among victims of victim-precipitated homicides in Marvin Wolfgang's study?

They were more likely to have a prior arrest record, have consumed alcohol, know the offender, and be involved in male-to-male confrontations stemming from minor disagreements.

What percentage of rape cases qualified as "victim-precipitated" under Menachem Amir's 1971 study?

$19\%$ of the rapes documented in the study.

What critique did Weis and Borges (1973) make regarding Menachem Amir's concept of victim-precipitated rape?

They stated that "the only ingredient necessary for constituting a victim precipitated rape is the offender's imagination."

According to Laura J. Moriarty (2003), how did Menachem Amir misuse Marvin Wolfgang's concept of victim precipitation?

Amir generalized the concept beyond its initial meaning, whereas Wolfgang strictly used it for victims who actively initiated or used violence in volatile encounters.

Why does Helen Eigenberg (2003) argue that victim precipitation involves circular or tautological reasoning?

Victim behavior is never compared to non-victims, and research reveals no distinguishing precipitative factors other than the experience of being victimized.

How does victim precipitation lead to the creation of "culturally legitimate victims" according to Helen Eigenberg?

It implies victims are physically or mentally different and must conform to avoid harm; poorer individuals using public resources face higher exposure and receive less sympathy than the wealthy.

What did Diana Scully (1990) discover about how rapists justify their crimes?

Rapists frequently constructed culturally acceptable stereotypes about women to blame them for their victimization and excuse their own criminal actions.

In Andrew Karmen's typology of auto-theft victims, what approximate proportion of victims are considered "totally innocent"?

$55\%$ of all victims.

In Andrew Karmen's auto-theft typology, how do an initiator, a conspirator, and a simulator differ in their actions?

An initiator leaves a car exposed and vulnerable; a conspirator arranges the theft with criminals; a simulator fabricates the theft of a non-existent vehicle.

How does Andrew Karmen define "victim facilitation"?

When a victim, through carelessness or negligence, creates circumstances that do not cause crime but act as a catalyst for opportunistic thieves.

What is the definition of "victim provocation"?

When a victim instigates or incites violence against themselves by acting in confrontational ways, such as name-calling, taunting, or initiating physical violence.

How is "victim compliance" defined?

When an individual complies with the demands of a victimizer to protect themselves or another person who has been threatened.

What are the two distinct ways "victim co-operation" can occur?

Working with police to identify and apprehend the offender, or working directly with the offender as a co-conspirator for mutual reward.

What did Beniamin Mendelsohn mean by the concept of "victimal receptivity"?

An individual's unconscious propensity toward being victimized, which exists in varying degrees.

John Howard wrote an influential book titled __________ that contained detailed statistics on conditions endured by prisoners in England and Wales.

The State of Prisons in England and Wales

In his study of English prisons, John Howard noted that a quarter of incarcerated individuals died of diseases such as __________.

smallpox

Hans von Hentig sought to bridge the gap between law and psychology and published __________ in 1948.

The Criminal and His Victim

Hans von Hentig referred to the relationship between the offender and the victim as the 'doer and the sufferer' and the '__________.'

subject and the object

Hans von Hentig emphasized that victim potential was dictated by a combination of biology, socialization, and __________.

chance

In von Hentig's General Class of victims, 'simple-minded,' uneducated, and often poor persons are classified as __________.

Dull Normals

In von Hentig's Psychological Class, a person who was sexually abused and later becomes a sexual offender is classified as the __________.

Activating Sufferer

The term victimology was introduced by __________, who surveyed offenders, victims, and witnesses using an extensive questionnaire.

Beniamin Mendelsohn

Beniamin Mendelsohn coined the term __________, which means the opposite of the word 'criminal' and describes the behaviour of a victim.

Victimal

The term __________ refers to the opposite of criminality, denoting the quality or state of being a victim.

Victimity

According to Mendelsohn, an individual's unconscious propensity toward being victimized is referred to as __________.

Victimal receptivity

Mendelsohn used the phrase __________ to describe the understanding that a victim and offender often share characteristics and enter into a short relationship during victimization.

Penal couple

In Mendelsohn's typology, an individual attacked while walking alone late at night in a known high-crime area is classified as the victim with __________.

minor guilt/victims due to ignorance

In Mendelsohn's typology, an individual who starts a physical fight but ends up losing it represents the category where the victim is __________.

more guilty than the offender

In Mendelsohn's typology, a person who loses money in a card game and falsely reports being mugged is classified as a(n) __________.

Simulating or imaginary victim

Criminologist Stephen Schafer published the book __________ in 1968.

The Victim and His Criminal

In Stephen Schafer's typology, Jewish people in Nazi Germany are classified as __________ victims who hold no culpability.

Political

In Schafer's typology, individuals who bear 'some responsibility' by making themselves vulnerable to victimization are classified as __________ victims.

Precipitative

In Schafer's typology, a person who insults another in a bar to start an altercation has equal responsibility to the offender and is classified as a __________ victim.

Provocative

In Schafer's typology, individuals involved in drug use, prostitution, or gambling bear total responsibility and are termed __________ victims.

Self-victimizing

In his 1958 Philadelphia homicide study, Marvin Wolfgang found that __________% of the sample were victim-precipitated homicides.

26

In Patterns in Forcible Rape (1971), Menachem Amir reported that __________% of documented rapes qualified as victim-precipitated under his definition.

19

Weis and Borges (1973) criticized Menachem Amir's work by arguing that 'the only ingredient necessary for constituting a victim precipitated rape is the offender’s __________.'

imagination

In 2003, criminologist __________ identified five major conceptual problems with victim precipitation.

Helen Eigenberg

Helen Eigenberg noted that victim precipitation lacks comparison between victims and non-victims, suffering from circular or __________ reasoning.

tautological

In Andrew Karmen's auto-theft typology, a 'Totally Innocent' victim who takes special precautions to minimize risk is classified as __________.

Conscientious

According to Andrew Karmen's auto-theft typology, approximately __________% of all victims fall into the 'Totally Innocent' category.

55

In Karmen's auto-theft typology, an 'Initiator' who leaves a car exposed and vulnerable is classified as __________ responsible.

Substantially

In Karmen's auto-theft typology, a fully responsible victim who fabricates the theft of a non-existent car to make a large profit is termed a(n) __________.

Simulator

Andrew Karmen used the term victim __________ to describe situations where a victim creates conditions through negligence or carelessness that increase the potential for victimization.

facilitation

Victim __________ occurs when a person complies with demands from an offender in order to protect themself or another threatened individual.

compliance

Victim __________ occurs when a victim actively instigates or incites violence against themselves through confrontational behavior like taunting or starting a fight.

provocation

The global SlutWalk protest movement originated in Toronto after a police officer stated that women could avoid sexual assault by changing the way they __________.

dress

Diana Scully (1990) observed that convicted rapists often constructed culturally acceptable __________ about women to justify their offenses and blame the victim.

stereotypes

Prison reformer Elizabeth Fry advanced the welfare of female inmates by establishing schools for prisoners' __________ and supplying adequate bedding and clothing.

children

Criminality

Behaviours associated with law violation.

Penal couple

The relationship between the victim and the offender, who often share many characteristics and enter into an interaction complete with assigned roles during the act of victimization.

Typology

A way to classify information in an effort to generate a general type or a set of typical characteristics of a phenomenon.

Victimal

A term coined in 1963 by Beniamin Mendelsohn that serves as the opposite of the word "criminal"; used as an adjective to describe the behaviour of a victim.

Victimal receptivity

An individual's unconscious propensity to being victimized, which exists in varying degrees.

Victim blaming

The process of assigning some level of responsibility to the victim for their own victimization.

Victim compliance

An occurrence where an individual complies with the demands of a victimizer in order to protect themself or another person who has been threatened.

Victim co-operation

The act of a victim working with police to identify and apprehend an offender, or, in victimological terms, working with the offender as a co-conspirator to achieve a mutual reward.

Victim facilitation

The concept whereby a victim is said to create circumstances, through neglect or carelessness, that increase their potential for victimization.

Victimity

The opposite of criminality; refers to the quality or state of being a victim or that which constitutes being a victim.

Victimology

The study of victims and the social context in which victims exist.

Victim precipitation

The idea of shared responsibility in victimization between the offender and the victim, referring to actions that bring about, in whole or in part, a person's own victimization.

Victim provocation

An occurrence where a victim instigates or incites the violence committed against them by acting in confrontational ways, such as name-calling, taunting, or initiating violent physical behaviour.

Victim responsibility

The idea that there is a level of shared participation and culpability between the victim and the offender in the victimizing event.

Victim vulnerability

The risk of victimization that is attributed to an individual or group.

John Howard

An early penal reformer (1726–1790) who wrote "The State of Prisons in England and Wales," documenting deplorable living conditions, disease, and abuse, and recommending hygiene, prisoner segregation, and paid jailers.

Elisabeth Fry

A religious prison visitor and reformer (1780–1845) who focused on women's prisons, established schools for prisoners' children, provided clothing and bedding, and believed prisoners needed to be treated with dignity to reform.

Hans von Hentig

Early victimologist (1887–1974) who penned "The Criminal and His Victim" (1948), bridged law and psychology, and characterized the victim–offender dynamic as the "doer and the sufferer."

The General Class

Von Hentig's victim classification category based on physical or structural vulnerabilities, which includes the young, the female, the old, the mentally defective, immigrants, minorities, and dull normals.

The Psychological Class

Von Hentig's victim classification category based on psychological predispositions, including the depressed, acquisitive, wanton, lonesome, tormentor, blocked/exempted/fighting, and activating sufferer.

The Activating Sufferer

A category in von Hentig's typology where a victim who experiences trauma or abuse acts out from their pain to become a "doer" who inflicts suffering on others.

Beniamin Mendelsohn

The theorist (1900–1998) who introduced the term victimology and developed a six-category typology of victims based on degrees of culpability ranging from completely innocent to fully guilty.

Completely innocent victim

In Mendelsohn's typology, a victim who is entirely free of any contribution to the criminal act, such as small children or individuals attacked "out of the blue."

Simulating or imaginary victim

In Mendelsohn's typology, an individual who has not actually been victimized but leads others to believe they were, such as a person who loses money gambling and claims to have been mugged.

Stephen Schafer

Criminologist (1911–1976) who published "The Victim and His Criminal" (1968) and framed victim precipitation around victim culpability and social control/functional responsibility.

Marvin Wolfgang

Criminologist (1924–1998) who published "Patterns in Criminal Homicide" (1958), finding that in 26% of Philadelphia homicides studied, the victim was the initial aggressor in the encounter.

Menachem Amir

Criminologist (1930–2015) who wrote "Patterns in Forcible Rape" (1971), applying the concept of victim precipitation to rape based on subjective offender interpretations and victim behavior.

Helen Eigenberg

A researcher who outlined five major theoretical problems with victim precipitation, including tautological reasoning, flawed continuums, the creation of culturally legitimate victims, and excusing offender behavior.

Culturally legitimate victims

A consequence of victim precipitation where individuals who fail to conform to expected non-victim standards or who rely on public resources are viewed by society as deserving of blame for their victimization.

Andrew Karmen

A criminologist who analyzed auto-theft victimization across degrees of responsibility (from totally innocent to fully responsible) and cautioned against using victim facilitation to scapegoat victims.