Victimology is a subject, which primarily deals
with relationships between victims and offenders. It is
often taught in criminal justice programs and at police
academies. I look at it differently. Victimology is about
crime, how to recognize crime threats, and how to avoid
becoming a victim. I would like to take you on a journey
and help you take steps to protect yourself and lower the
risk of becoming a statistic. In this session, I will walk
you through some basics about crime, perpetrators and
why you should care.
These probabilities ultimately depend on where
you live, what places you visit, who you are, etc. But is it
something to think about? They say, “All politics are local.”
It applies to crime as well. The locations you live in or visit
are the primary driver of your risk of becoming a victim.
Have you ever been a victim of a crime? Do you
know someone who has been victimized? You must
have seen crime on the news or read about it in the
newspapers.
The latest crime statistics are anything but
reassuring. According to the FBI’s US crime stats
report, for every 100,000 there were 387 violent crimes
(homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault)
committed in 2012. This means that one in roughly 258
people was a victim of a violent crime last year.
There were also 2,859 property crimes (burglary
and theft) committed per 100,000 people. One in 35
people were a victim of a property crime last year.
The average life expectancy in the United States is 78
years, so you have a one-in-three chance of becoming a
victim of a violent crime over your lifetime and, at least
statistically, you will become a victim of a property crime
twice in your lifetime.
There are certain places where crime rates are typically
higher. Big cities and blighted urban areas have more
crime than rural or suburban areas. Dark streets in bad
neighborhoods are obviously less safe than well-lit areas in
nice neighborhoods. Violent crime in “gun free zones” with
gang presence is much more rampant than in closely-knit
communities where citizens are allowed to carry firearms.
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