NCJ Number
208314
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 44 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2004 Pages: 931-945
Date Published
November 2004
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study clarified the risks of repeat personal victimization due to the failure of much prior research to address the interplay between personal and household factors related to victimization in addition to the effects of prior victimization.
Abstract
Data were obtained from the 1994 U.S. National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which represents, in principle, the population of non-institutionalized U.S. permanent residents 12 years old or older. The dependent variable was the number of personal crimes experienced during the 6 months prior to the last interview of the 1994 NCVS. The attributes of individuals and households were selected by drawing on routine activity or lifestyle theory. The data indicate that victimizations that follow after a short period are likely to be linked with and shaped by prior victimization; however, middle-term and long-term victimization are associated with personal, household, and lifestyle characteristics. Intervention to change such characteristics in the interest of reducing victimization is not feasible and would probably be unethical; however, researchers could provide the police with criteria for identifying who is generally at most risk for victimization beyond the short term and suggest measures of self-protection commensurate with such risk. Personal-attack alarms might be advocated for those at high risk, along with mobile phones. 5 tables and 22 references