NCJ Number
87178
Date Published
1982
Length
32 pages
Annotation
Victimization surveys conducted in the Netherlands and Canada indicate that under age 25 and an outgoing lifestyle are the best predictors of victimization.
Abstract
This analysis distinguished three risk factors: being an attractive target, coming into contact with offenders, and being unable to prevent the commission of crimes. Primary data sources were the 1980 Dutch victimization survey and the 1979 Greater Vancouver Area Victim Survey. Female participation in the labor force which leaves homes unoccupied can also be correlated with burglary rates in these countries. The conclusion that most crimes are committed from opportunistic motives is supported by a study of self-reported juvenile delinquency in two Dutch cities which found that truancy/running away and outdoor leisure activities were the best predictors of delinquency, along with being male. This self-report data also showed that many victims were also offenders. Additional analysis of this data and a survey of older pupils in a suburban Dutch school suggested that the experience of being victimized or witnessing other persons committing crimes increases an adolescent's chances of becoming an offender. A correlation of this phenomenon of adolescents stealing and counterstealing is that victimization risks are not exclusively determined by personal risk factors, but also by ecological proximity to offenders. Tables, 8 footnotes, and approximately 40 references are included.