Victimology and Crime Prevention Vocabulary

Flashcards for vocabulary related to victimology and crime prevention.

Victimology

The study of victimization, including the effects of such victimization on victims, the relationship between victims and offenders, and the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system.

Victimologists

Criminologists whose focus is on crime victims and their role in criminal process.

Victim - Economic costs

Personal economic losses (medical care, lost income, property loss/damage) due to victimization.

CJS Costs

Government funds spent on the crime (investigations, trials, detention, victim assistance).

Crime career costs

Opportunity costs that are associated with the criminal’s choice to commit a crime (funds spent on supporting their families, and wages for officers).

Intangible Losses

Indirect losses suffered by victims (pain and suffering, decreased quality of life, psychological distress).

Individual Costs

Financial, emotional, and physical consequences to the victim.

Vicarious fear

Impacts on those indirectly affected by crime (e.g., fear due to a serial killer in the neighbourhood).

Cycle of Violence

Victims of violence and abuse (especially in childhood) are more likely to become perpetrators.

Target vulnerability

Physical and psychological weakness renders victims incapable of resisting or deterring crime.

Target gratifiability

Some victims have qualities, possessions, or attributes that offenders want to obtain, use, access, or manipulate.

Target antagonism

Some characteristics attract victimization because they arouse anger, jealousy, or destructive impulses in offenders (argumentative, or alcoholic).

Victim precipitation theory

Victims trigger criminal acts by their provocative behaviour.

Active precipitation

Fighting words and gestures, attack first.

Passive precipitation

Victims’ characteristics unconsciously threaten or encourage their attackers.

Lifestyle theory

Risky lifestyles can increase victims’ exposure to offenders.

Deviant place theory

Greater exposure to dangerous places increases the risk of victimization.

Routine activities theory

Predatory crimes are closely related to the interaction of three variables: suitable target, motivated offender, and capable guardian.

Motivated offender

One with the willingness to commit an act

Suitable target

One with value, physical visibility, accessibility, and inertia.

Absence of a capable guardian

Spatial-temporal supervision (direct or indirect).

Crime generators

Places that attract potential victims and offenders for non-criminal purposes (for example, shopping malls).

Crime attractors

Places that are known to the offender for being areas where crime is recurring (for example, adult clubs and bars).

Nodes

Places people travel to and from- home, work, school, etc.

Paths

Routes to nodes.

Edges

Boundaries or locations where offenders and non-offenders intermingle.

Broken Windows Theory

If a window is broken and left unrepaired, more windows will soon be broken.

Primary prevention

Concerned with avoiding a particular problem from developing.

Secondary prevention

Approaches are concerned with at-risk individuals due to lifestyles and places where crime is rife.

Tertiary crime prevention

Concerned with the aftermath of a crime, offender, and victim.

Situational Crime Prevention

Emphasis is on the ecological aspect of crime.

Crime prevention through social development

Seeks to reduce the social, economic, and environmental factors that are conducive to crime.

Increased effort

Making the offence difficult to commit

Increased risk

Increasing the possibility of getting caught during or after the commission of the crime

Reduced reward

Reducing any benefit of committing the crime.

Reduced provocation

Eliminating precipitating factors.

Removed excuses

Reducing possible justification of the criminal act.

Crime control

Approaches by the CJS to protect the society and control crime.

Deterrence

Discouragement from criminal behaviour.

Specific (individual) deterrence

Discouraging the individual offender from further criminality (recidivism) through punishment that is swift, sure and effective.

General deterrence

Crime can be controlled by warning everyone in a society about punishment.

Awareness Space

Offender's knowledge of the area, including familiar
locations, paths, and potential targets.

Activity Space

Areas where offenders and victims regularly spend time.