NCJ Number
178689
Date Published
1999
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Drawing primarily on data collected in the United Kingdom, this paper underscores why a focal point for effective crime prevention is the "hot dot," the victim who is repeatedly revictimized.
Abstract
Illustrative of "hot dots," two studies show that approximately 4 percent of surveyed victims suffered approximately 44 percent of the offenses. In one locality, other research found that 43 percent of domestic violence incidents occurred over a 25-month period and involved only about 7 percent of 1,450 households. Study findings show that an individual's past crime victimization is a good predictor of subsequent victimization, which is often inflicted by the same offender. The greater the number of prior victimizations, the higher the likelihood the victim will endure future crime. If revictimization occurs, it tends to do so soon after the previous victimization. Repeat victimization is highest in areas of highest crime. Characteristics of revictimization provide a reliable early warning of where and when crime may strike next. Armed with this knowledge, police can maximize the potential of crime prevention. When focused on the recently victimized, crime prevention can be integral to victim support. A police officer's visit to a crime victim is directed at preventing the next possible incident as well as addressing the current one. In one study, a 24-percent reduction in domestic burglaries over 9 months in a municipality was attributed, in large part, to fewer domestic burglary revictimizations as the result of victim- focused crime prevention efforts. 7 references