NCJ Number
226507
Journal
International Journal of Police Science & Management Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: Winter 2008 Pages: 417-433
Date Published
2008
Length
17 pages
Annotation
With a view toward future research, this article presents a conceptual model of the elements of public order within postmodern society that contains component parts of progressive collective victimization, social mores, and human rights.
Abstract
The “collective victimization” process begins with the creation of the “separateness” of a defined community group, which results in the breakdown of respect for the group among the majority, and makes it difficult for members of the group to achieve a quality and fulfilling participation in the socioeconomic benefits of the mainstream culture. Victimization for such a group can include physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss, or substantial impairment of their fundamental rights through acts or omissions that violate criminal laws. State intervention to protect the rights of groups targeted for victimization is critical in reducing the effects of such victimization. The Kennedy administration’s pursuit of human rights violations in the United States in the 1960s is a well-known example of state intervention to prevent collective victimization of Black Americans. The failure of the state to support social mores and human rights provides an environment of tacit support for collective victimization. The frequency of victimization of a victim’s distinct social grouping and whether it has escalated along the continuum from the breakdown of social mores to a threat to life are crucial considerations in the policing response. Victim profiling is critical to determining whether patterns of collective victimization exist and may be progressive. Case studies of the concepts outlined in this paper are provided from Australia, France, and the United States. 41 references