NCJ Number
167365
Date Published
1997
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Victimization of children and youth is discussed with respect to its incidence, risk factors, and effects, as well as future research needs.
Abstract
The National Crime Victimization Survey revealed that the overall violent crime victimization rate for youth ages 12-17 years was 2.3 times higher than the average national rate. Data for children under age 12 are less clear. The types of crimes include conventional violent crimes, child abuse and neglect, specialized crimes such as stranger and family abductions, and noncriminalized violent acts toward other children by sibling and other children. The available data indicate that sibling assault is the most common kind of victimization for children; it affects 80 percent of all children in some form and more than half of all children in its more severe form. The pandemic victimizations that occur to a majority of children include assault by siblings, physical punishment by parents, and theft. Acute victimization through child abuse and neglect affect a small proportion of children, while extraordinary victimizations such as homicide affect only a small number of children. The dependence of children creates a spectrum of vulnerability. The concepts of developmental victimology are useful for studying child victimization during different stages of development and for examining intrafamily victimization, gender differences, the effects of routine activities, and the impacts of victimization. Vast and urgent research needs exist in the area of child victimization. Figures, tables, notes, and 99 references