Victimisation

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Victimization

Introduction

Victimization is the process of becoming, or the fact of having become, or feeling as, a victim.


Objective vs. subjective character of the concept

While in criminology and crimi statistics, this is often referred to as an objective fact, and the victimization rate (e.g. for a dertain type of crime) taken as an objective figure,[1] victamization can also be a soft, or social fact: People can 'feel' as victims, whether or not they are victims or affected by a crime, etc.


Fear of crime

In cultural criminology, victimization is understood as an objective, measuralbe concept, and citizised for that character. It is contrasted with the concept of 'fear of crime' that addresses the psychological and social aspects of becoming or feeling like a victim, and policy strategies that more focus on changing public perception than changing the security situation:

"Fear of crime has come to be regarded as a problem in and for itself, quite distinct from actual crime and victimization, and distinctive policies have been developed to aim to reduce fear levels, rather than to reduce crime."[2]


Footnotes and references

  1. Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victimization
  2. D. Garland: The Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2001, p. 10.


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