Victimisation
Contents
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 crime statistics, this is often referred to as an objective fact, and the victimization rate (e.g. for a certain type of crime) taken as an objective figure,[1] victimization 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, measurable concept, and criticized 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 focus more 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
- ↑ Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victimization
- ↑ 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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