Victim Presipitation
Insitution
Victims of Crimes in the United States
Victims of crime are those persons who have directly been on the receiving end of criminal acts. Such act include but are not limited to rape and other sexual assaults, robbery, burglary, property theft, homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and motor vehicle theft. Acts of violence like domestic violence and violent victimization where weapons are involved are also included. Victims classification also depend on the state where a crime is committed; some states only classify one as a victim in case of a violent crime.
A victim of crime should not be regarded as a secluded individual affected by a crime. A victim becomes a useful asset to the judicial not only as a witness to the crime committed, but also as a base for the prevention of possible future crimes of a similar nature. Victimology is important as the study of the victim informs the judial process and aids in not only the rehabilitation of the victim but also the profiling of the criminal. It is also healthy for a nation or a state to take care of it’s victims for the sake of the sanity of the community and to restore the confidence of the general population after a crime has been committed.
Being a crime victim is a terrible experience that often times results to trauma and sometimes even stigma from the community. A victim therefore deserves to be treated right by the justice system and the community. The US had made tremendous strides in this light. It is also commendable that the Office of Justice Programmes has come up with an elaborate plan, Vision 2021, focusing on victims and how they can improve their experience in the judicial process and facilitate their healing after the judicial process. It is also a blue print for handling challenges regarding classification of victims and outreach.
The US has accorded legal rights to victims of crime. The rights include their freedom to participate or be excluded in court proceedings, be adequately informed, be given adequate protection. The laws and their excecution depend on the area where the crime is committed and prosecuted. In some cases, victim’s rights can be exercised by close family members on behalf of the victim for example if the victim is a minor or in the case of homicide.
The government has shown commitment in not only the prosecution of criminals, but has also ensured that victims of crime are also cared for and assited in their healing process. Office of Justice Programs states that they are commited to improving the nations’ capacity to assist crime victims, advocating for change in attitude, influencing policies and adopting practices that aid victims in their healing process (OJP, 2014).
Victim Statistics
The National Crime Victimization Survey measures crimes commited whther they have been reported and prosecuted or not. The data provided fromsample households is used to rate crimes and to collect statiscs on victims and nature of crimes committed. It also provides details based on particular ethnicity, state and areas of residence. Such statistics anables the government to come up with intervention measure based on the crime estimations. OJP (Office of Justice Programs, Victims of Crime, 2014) reported that there was an overall increase in crime rate between 2012 and 2013. The increase in violent crime rate was 22.8% while the increase in violent crime rate was 13.8%. The following are the highlights from The Bureau of Justice statics are as follows:
- The rate of violent crime declined slightly from 26.1 victimizations per 1,000 persons in 2012 to 23.2 per 1,000 in 2013.
- No statistically significant change was detected in the rate of serious violent crime (rape or sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault) from 2012 to 2013 (7.3 per 1,000).
- The rate of property crime decreased from 155.8 victimizations per 1,000 households in 2012 to 131.4 per 1,000 in 2013.
- In 2013, 1.2% of all persons age 12 or older (3 million persons) experienced at least one violent victimization. About 0.4% (1.1 million persons) experienced at least one serious violent victimization. (Langton and Truman, 2013).
Victim Precipitation
Victim precipitation refers to how an individual may influence his victimization through his behavior. Theories have been advanced to explain this concept, with the argument that a victim may act in a certain way that provokes the victimizer to act in a certain manner in response to the victim’s actions. The idea of victim precipitation is, however, very controversial. As much as there is no general agreement on victim precipitation, the law does recognize it and it usually informs the prosecution process of some crimes like in the case of homicide. Determination of victim precipitation involves an assessment of the factors around the victim, i.e. the environment and circumstance.
Insufficient details to determine precipitation.
Despite the controversy surrounding this, it is important to study victim precipitation. It may aid in enlightening the community in the interactions between victim and offender. This, in a small way can create public awareness, making people more careful and more deliberate in their interactions so that they do not become future victims. It also aids investigations. This is especially applicable in serial crimes. It can help investigators in profiling the criminal based on his interactions with the victims, which might aid in his capture since it helps investigators to narrow down to particular social networks where the perpetrator most likely interacts with his victims. It also impacts the future of the general community since when a pattern is established, the authorities can put some measure to deter future crimes of a similar nature.
References
The National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC). 2014. Victims' Rights. http://www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crime-victims/get-help-bulletins-for-crime victims/victims%27-rights. Accessed 30 November 2014.
Langton, L. & Truman, .J. 2014. Criminal Victimization, 2013. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=9. Accessed 30 November 2014.
Office of Justice Programs (OJP). 2014. Victims of Crime. http://ojp.gov/programs/victims.htm. Accessed 30 November 2014.
