Schreck and Fisher Article

Question 1
Early theories of victimization distinguish among different types of victims based on
the victim’s role in the violent crime perpetrated against them. Thus, there are six categories
of victims: the innocent victim, the victim with minor guilt, the voluntary victim, the victim
who is guiltier than the offender, the victim who alone is guilty, and the imaginary victim
(Mallicoat, 2014). The criminal justice system might use these categories in decision-making
by prioritizing and giving more weight to those cases in which the victim is either innocent or
has only minor guilt.
Question 2
Media outlets support and encourage rape myths and victim-blaming by focusing on the
victim’s engagement in what is considered careless, risky, or atypical behavior (Mallicoat,
2014). In the process, they make it easy for society to shift the blame from the offender to the
victim. As a result, victims are discouraged from seeking help and reporting the crimes
perpetrated against them to the authorities. Meanwhile, victim-blaming and the role of media
contribute to re-victimization by emboldening offenders. When offenders know that they will
not be reported, they gain the courage to re-offend (Schreck & Fisher, 2004).
Question 3
The fear of victimization is a gendered experience because men and women are socialized to
view crime differently (Mallicoat, 2014). The different ways in which men and women are
socialized influence how members of the two genders perceive crime and victimization.
Thus, in a culture where girls are brought up believing that men should be approached with
caution because they are all potential sexual offenders, the fear of sexual assault is likely to

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be high even among grown-up women who have never been sexually assaulted. While
socialization lays the foundation for fear of victimization, official crime statistics reinforce
the fear by indicating that women are more prone to types of crimes than men.
Question 4
Feminist criminologists are likely to critique modern-day theories of victimization like
lifestyle theory and routine activities theory by dismissing the notion that women make
themselves attractive targets of violent crimes through their risky lifestyle choices and daily
routines. Instead, they are likely to insist that men will victimize women no matter how much
care women take of themselves because, naturally, men are predisposed to offend. Feminist
criminologists also disagree that men are more vulnerable to certain types of crimes on
account of their lifestyles and daily routines (Mallicoat, 2014).
Question 5
Schreck and Fisher incorporate the routine activities theory into their study of violent
victimization by linking family and peer contexts to the theory. Specifically, the researchers
set out to investigate two things. First, they investigate whether strong bonds of attachment
within the family reduce the likelihood of teenage children becoming attractive and
vulnerable targets of victimization (Schreck & Fisher, 2004). Secondly, they examine
whether the presence of delinquent peers is a risk factor. They find that teenagers from close-
knit families tend to be better shielded from violent crime. They also find that spending time
with delinquent peers increases the risk of victimization.
Question 6
According to Schreck and Fisher, the nature of one’s relationships with family and peers can
either expose them to or shield them from the risk of victimization. As pointed above, a child
who is brought up in a conventional, close-knit, and nurturing family is less prone to

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victimization (Schreck & Fisher, 2004). Conversely, children who are emotionally alienated
from their parents are at a greater risk of victimization. Meanwhile, belonging to and
spending time with a delinquent group exposes one to victimization mainly through increased
exposure to motivated offenders.

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References

Mallicoat, S. L. (2014). Women and Crime: A Text/Reader. Thousand Oaks: SAGE
Publications, Inc.
Schreck, C. J., & Fisher, B. S. (2004). Specifying the Influence of Family and Peers on
Violent Victimization: Extending Routine Activities and Lifestyles Theories. Journal
of Interpersonal Violence, 19(9), 1021-1041.