NCJ Number
79886
Journal
Tijdschrift voor criminologie Volume: 22 Dated: (September/October 1980) Pages: 223-241
Date Published
1980
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The psychosocial effects of victimization and subsequent behavioral changes are assessed in a study of victims of serious violent or property crimes in Amsterdam during 1975.
Abstract
The study samples consisted of 106 male victims of violent crimes, 56 from low and 50 high professional classes, and 253 victims of property crimes, 96 from low and 157 from professional classes. Subjects were interviewed an average of 2 years after the offense was committed. Findings indicate that none of the victims were entirely free of aftereffects from the victimization experience. The principal types of psychosocial reactions were psychosomatic illnesses, fear of repetition and of retaliatory acts, feelings of insecurity, distrust of strangers, and guilt feelings. The primary underlying condition for a number of these reactions was fear of crime. Violent crimes produced more psychosocial effects than property crimes: fear of strangers and guilt feelings were the only factors common to both victim groups. The extent of psychosocial damage was also correlated to other factors, particularly the seriousness of the crime in terms of financial losses and of personal attachment to lost property; financial consequences of victimization; and the relationship of the victim to the offender. As in other studies, no relationship was found between fear of crime and demographic factors such as professional level, income, or living situation. Likewise, no connection was apparent between fear factors and previous victim experiences. The victim experience and increased fear of crime resulted in behavioral changes, notably, greater attention to preventive measures. The most common measures were protection of possessions, avoidance of dangerous situations, and self-protection. The extent of preventive measures was clearly associated with fear of crime, with the seriousness of the offense, and with age. Victims were most likely to take preventive measures appropriate to the type of offense they had already experienced. Tables, notes, and a 13-item bibliography are included.