Crime Victims: An Introduction to Victimology Sixth Edition

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Crime Victims An Introduction to
VictimologySixth Edition

• By Andrew Karmen
• Chapter Two
• The Rediscovery of Crime Victims

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History of Victims

• In ancient times, criminal justice focused on
  victims to seek redress for pain and suffering
  based upon biblical tenets and English Common Law
• Industrialization and urbanization began to
  diminish the role of victims
• Victims lost control of government and judicial
  process
• Ultimately became a civil rather than a criminal
  matter

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History of Victims

• History in United States similar
• In Colonial America, victims paid for warrants,
  for sheriff to investigate and to incarcerate
• Bill of Rights focused on hostilities toward
  the state
• Focused on protecting rights of criminals
• Violation of laws more important than harm to
  victims

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History of Victims

• Focus of prosecutors and courts was to deter
  crime through punishment, long sentences and
  execution
• Victims lost control of cases in court
• Not notified or involved with plea bargaining of
  their cases in court
• VICTIMS WERE VICTIMIZED AGAIN, NOW BY CRIMINAL
  JUSTICE SYSTEM

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Late 50s and early 60s social movement of three
  groups responsible for the rediscovery of
  victims
• Law and Order Movement
• Civil Rights Movement
• Womens Rights Movement

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Law and Order Groups
• Get tough on criminals focused on victims
• Lock up criminals quickly and longer
• Fewer loopholes for attorneys

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Womens MovementBecame very active in anti-rape
  and anti-battering campaigns
• Efforts to break down patriarchal culture
  tradition to subjugate women
• 1972First anti-rape effort with crisis centers
  in Berkley CA and Washington D.C.
• 1974First Safe House for battered women
  established in St. Paul Minnesota

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Other Social Movements
• Rights of Children
• Senior CitizensElder Abuse
• Homosexuals
• Better training for law enforcement
• Expansion of Equal Protection Under Law
• Media played major role in reviving victim roles
• Business sector providedpepper spray, guns,
  alarm systems, security services, etc.

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Politicians enacting legislation named after
  victims became very popular
• Brady Bill
• Amber Alert
• Megans Law
• Jennas Law
• Kendras Law
• Some of these reforms may prove to be
  ill-conceived, ineffective and counterproductive

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Rediscovery of Victims

• The news media played a major role in the
  rediscovery of victims
• More attention given to victims rather than
  offenders in media coverage
• Highly publicized cases gave victims a forum to
  be heard
• Talk show hosts often reflect their unconscious
  biases

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Medias rights to report crimes often conflicts
  with the victims rights for privacy
• Solutions to this problem include
• Shield laws to protect from needless and
  unnecessary disclosure of names and addresses and
  previous victim involvement
• Self restraint of reporters and editors
• Adoption of a Code of Ethics requiring
  reporters to read a victim their victim rights
  prior to any interviews

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Commercialization of products and services for
  victims
• Efforts to engage in fear mongering and false
  advertising to cash in on customers fear of
  becoming a victim
• Automobile anti-theft devices (Do they really
  work?)
• Home security systems
• Pepper spray
• Firearms

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Victimologists played a major role
• Process of rediscovery unfolds through a series
  of steps and stages
• Stage 1Calling Attention to an Overlooked
  Problem
• Stage 2Winning Victories, Implementing
  Reforms

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Rediscovery of Victims

• Stage 3Emergence of an Opposition and
  Development of Resistance to Further Changes
• Stage 4Research and Temporary Resolution of
  Disputes
• Process of Rediscovery Continues
• See Box 2.1 Page 40

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Key Terms
Street Crimes English Common Law Civil Court
Tort Law Public Prosecutors Plea Negotiations
Law and Order Movement Womens Movement Civil Rights Movement
Civil liberties Movement Childrens Rights Movement Gay Rights Movement
Self Help Movement Brady Bill Amber Alert
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Key Terms
Megans Law Self Definition Victimization Process Ongoing social problems models
Constructionist Approach Conflict Approach Stigma Contests
Social Construction Claims-making Typification
Sexual Assault False Memory Syndrome Going Postal
Road Rage