Rates of Victimization
In 2006, 16 million criminal victimizations befell individuals over age 12 in urban and suburban areas in the United States,, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey . In these areas, approximately 76 percent of victimizations involved property and 23 percent were violent. Nearly 1 percent were purse snatching and pocket picking. Males and females were equally likely to be victimized by an offender they previously knew (Rand and Catalano, 2007). [1]
As a group, adolescents are most likely to be victimized. Individuals who have been victimized previously are at increased risk to be victimized again. Researchers in Great Britain found that just 4 percent of victims suffered more than 44 percent of victimizations (Farrell and Pease, 1993).
See NIJ's Web page on Child Abuse and Maltreatment for more findings about the long-term effects of victimization for adolescents.
Notes and Works Cited
Notes
[1] Based on findings from the Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Crime Victimization Survey of 2003: 54 percent of violence against males was conducted by strangers, while 64 percent of violence against females was conducted by nonstrangers (see Catalano, 2004: 1, 9–10). Back to text.
Works Cited
Catalano, S.M. Criminal Victimization, 2003 : Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2004, NCJ 205455.
Farrell, G., and K. Pease. Once Bitten, Twice Bitten: Repeat Victimization and Its Implications for Crime Prevention. Crime Prevention Unit Paper 46. London, England: Police Research Group, 1993.
National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards. Compensation to Victims Continues to Increase Exit Notice . Accessed March 14, 2007.
Newmark, L.C. Crime Victims' Needs and VOCA-Funded Services: Findings and Recommendations From Two National Studies. Final report submitted to the National Institute of Justice, March 2004, NCJ 214263. Back to text.
Victim Services. From Pain to Power: Crime Victims Take Action. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, September 1998, NCJ 166604.