Portrait of Crime Victims Who Fight Back (From Victims of Crime and the Victimization Process, P 167-208, 1997, Marilyn McShane and Frank P. Williams, III, eds. - See NCJ-171054)

• NCJ Number: 171059
• Author(s): C E Marshall; V J Webb
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 42 pages
• Sale Source: Garland Publishing, Inc.
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. Reprinted from Journal of Interpersonal Violence, V 9, N 1 (March 1994), P 45-74

Annotation

Data from the National Crime Survey for the period from the first quarter of 1987 through the second quarter of 1990 were used to describe the characteristics of three victim groups: (1) those who used a gun in self-defense; (2) those who used a weapon other than a gun; and (3) those who used no weapon but fought back by kicking, hitting, or biting.

Abstract

The analysis focused on the 1,273 cases who responded physically. They amounted to 16.9 percent of the 7,507 who took some form of self-protective action; some form of self-protective action took place in 13.3 percent of the total of 56,442 incidents. The analysis revealed that 29 victims used a gun, 106 used another weapon, and 1,138 fought back without a weapon. The victims who fired a gun tended to be white males ages 27-45. Most did not know the offender. The victims who used other weapons also tended to be white males, but 57.4 percent were younger than 26 years. More than one-third were female. Victims who fought back using no victims tended to be younger, white, and male; one- third were female. The victim and offender did not know each other in 57.8 percent of the cases. Findings indicated important differences in the characteristics of the offenders for each group, as well as both differences and similarities in the victim groups. Tables, appended description of variables, notes, and 19 references (Author abstract modified)