Victimization in the United States
Playing the Race Card in relation to Crime and Race
Playing the Race Card is included in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (1), beginning with: “Playing the race card” is a derogatory phrase that refers to unnecessarily and inflammatorily interjecting the issue of race into a discussion, particularly when dealing with important sociopolitical events or criminal justice issues. It is extremely important to the study of criminal justice because of the need to accurately understand the true nature of crime and victimization rather than being distracted by superfluous issues that have little to do with a given problem. The race card can victimize members of any race but is most commonly aimed at portraying Whites as racist. Playing the race card has become standard operating procedure today concerning the issue of illegal immigration. Typically, the race card is played as a way of obfuscating issues.
Victimization
Overview of Victimization in relation to cyber crime: [1] Victimization is the process by which an act causes harm or loss to one or more people. Cybercrime victimization refers specifically to the process of some person or organization being harmed by a cybercrime. It may also be referred to as a process of criminal victimization, because the behavior that caused the harm or loss was illegal and may have taken place over a period of time and in many separate locations. There are three main types of criminal victimization—primary, secondary, and tertiary— which depend on who experiences harm or loss. In primary victimization the victim is the direct target of the crime. The victim is harmed as a result of experiencing the criminal act and consequences firsthand. For example, a person whose computer becomes infected with a virus or the organization whose servers are hacked into would be primary victims. Secondary victimization occurs when a victim is the indirect target of the crime. The victim is harmed due to an association with the primary victim who experienced direct harm (e.g., as a family member, friend, or associate), but is not otherwise immediately involved or injured. For example, an employer of a primary victim of identify theft may be secondarily affected by the crime because the primary victim's job performance decreased as the result of stress or missing time from work to attend to crime-related matters. Tertiary victimization refers to society at large experiencing indirect ''ripple effects'' of crime. For example, when consumers are required to pay higher prices for goods and services due to shoplifting of music CDs and online piracy, tertiary victimization has occurred. Higher insurance rates and taxes and fear of crime may also be considered tertiary effects of crime.
Resources
Notes and References
- By Sara E. Berg
See Also
- Types of Cybercrime
- Cybercriminal
Further Reading
Bloombecker, J. (1985, October 21). Hackers erode confidence about privacy of data. USA Today; Gulotta, G. (1984, January). New approaches to victimology. International Review of Applied Psychology, 33(1), 87–95; Kerber, R. (2007, January 18). TJX credit data stolen; wide impact feared. Boston Globe, A1; McQuade, S.C. (2006). Understanding and managing cybercrime. Boston: Allyn & Bacon; Tomz, J.E., & McGillis, D. (1997, February). Serving crime victims (2nd ed.). U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Resources
Notes and References
- Entry about Playing the Race Card in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime
See Also
Youth Victimization in relation to Crime and Race
Youth Victimization is included in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (1), beginning with: Youth victimization is generally defined as violence and/or crimes perpetrated against youth. This definition can include physical assaults such as hitting, punching, and kicking, sexual assaults such as rape and molestation, and other crimes such as theft and bullying. Furthermore, youth victimization can be both direct (being the victim of violence or crime) and indirect (witnessing violence and crimes perpetrated against others). Research shows that youth between the ages of 12 and 17 have the highest rates of victimization for both crime of violence and crimes of theft. This section addresses specific factors that lead to minority youth victimization and their subsequent involvement in violence. Criminologists and sociologists have suggested several possible explanations for patterns of youth victimization. Some theorists suggest that lifestyle and routine activities contribute to victimization, while others suggest that a victim’s individual traits may increase victimization.
Resources
Notes and References
- Entry about Youth Victimization in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime
See Also
Delinquency and Victimization in relation to Crime and Race
Delinquency and Victimization is included in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (1), beginning with: In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the connection between victimization and delinquency in the United States. Scholars in the fields of criminology and psychology have begun to recognize the cycle of violence that exists among America’s youth and the impact of victimization. This section examines the connection between delinquency and victimization, the subsequent emotional and psychological impact, and the structural and cultural explanations for the recent trends. Attention is also paid to the impact of race on patterns of violence and victimization among youth. Official reports of delinquency indicate that juveniles accounted for 380,000 Part I arrests and Delinquency and 1.2 million Part II arrests of the overall 14 million arrests made in 2005. Although these rates are alarming, it is also important to note that reports indicate that delinquency rates have been declining over the past few years.
Resources
Notes and References
- Entry about Delinquency and Victimization in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime
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