Deck 10: Victim Decision Making

Question 1

Which of the following actions is not one of the important stages of the victim decision-making process, according to Greenberg and Ruback (1992)?

A) Deciding what to do after the victimization.
B) Prosecuting the offender in a court of law.
C) Acknowledging the event as a crime.
D) Determining the seriousness of the crime.
E) All of the above are important stages of the victim decision-making process.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Victims who do acknowledge their experience as a crime have a lower risk of revictimization.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

An example of the classic rape paradigm is _____________.

A) A female is verbally coerced into sexual intercourse by her boyfriend.
B) A woman is forced to have intercourse by her abusive husband.
C) An intoxicated woman is sexually assaulted by an acquaintance in her home.
D) A young female is violently attacked by a stranger in a public place at night.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Reporting decisions have been studied from two perspectives: (1) the decision ___________ and (2) the decision __________.

A) To seek medical assistance following a victimization; to seek psychological help following a victimization.
B) To prosecute the victimization in a court of law; to sue the offender in a civil court.
C) To report the victimization to law enforcement; not to report the victimization to law enforcement.
D) To speak out about the victimization to others; to publicly deny that the victimization occurred.
E) None of the above.

Question 5

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), serious violent crime ________ in the 1990s and rates of reporting ________.

A) Increased; remained stable.
B) Declined; declined.
C) Declined; increased.
D) Remained stable; declined.
E) Increased; declined.

Question 6

Which of the following is not known to be a pattern in reporting victimizations to law enforcement?

A) Victim reporting is influenced by the situational characteristics of the criminal event.
B) Victim characteristics affect whether a victimization is reported.
C) Violent crime is more likely to be reported than property crime.
D) Offender characteristics affect whether a victimization is reported.
E) All of the above are known to be patterns in reporting.

Question 7

According to Gottfredson and Gottfredson's (1990) theory of criminal justice decision making, the following three factors persistently influence how decisions are made: (1) ______________, (2) ___________, and (3) _____________.

A) Offense seriousness; victim-offender relationship; offender's criminal history.
B) Victim characteristics; timing of offense; location of victimization.
C) Exposure to sun; motivation to eat ice cream; reduced weight.
D) Place management; physical incivilities; social disorganization.

Question 8

Offense seriousness is determined by both (1) the extent victims feel wronged and (2) __________.

A) The number and severity of injuries sustained by victims.
B) The degree victims consider themselves vulnerable to future victimizations.
C) How much money victims had to spend on lawyer's fees when prosecuting the offenders.
D) Whether members of the criminal justice system believed victims.
E) None of the above.

Question 9

Victims' decisions to contact police are influenced by the offenders' criminal history, although this factor may be more influential at other stages of the criminal process.

Question 10

According to the NCVS, which of the following is the most common reason given by crime victims for not reporting their victimization(s) to police?

A) The incident was not important enough for the victim to report it.
B) The victim believed the police would not or could not help them.
C) The victim feared reprisal from the offender.
D) The victim considered the incident a personal matter.
E) The victim could not name the offender.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a common categorization of self-protection behaviors?

A) Nonforceful physical.
B) Forceful verbal.
C) Forceful physical.
D) Nonforceful nonphysical.
E) All of the above are common categorizations.

Question 12

According to Powers and Simpson (2012), forceful physical resistance decreased the odds of victim injury, whereas nonforceful verbal resistance increased the odds of victim injury.

Question 13

One problem with research on the effects of self-protection tactics is determining whether _____________.

A) The victim's injuries were sustained before or after resisting the attack.
B) The victim's injuries were severe enough to require medical attention.
C) A jury will take the victim's injuries into account during deliberation.
D) The offender sustained similar or worse injuries than the victim.
E) All of the above are problems with this research.

Question 14

Using routine activities theory to interpret self-protective behaviors suggests that victims' resistance should make them __________ and __________.

A) Less fearful; more suitable.
B) More exposed to illness; in less proximity.
C) Less suitable; more guarded.
D) In greater proximity to motivated offenders; less exposed to the weather.

Question 15

According to rational choice theory, victims' resistance increases _________ and reduces __________.

A) Offenders' injury; victims' motivation.
B) Their risks; offenders' rewards.
C) Victims' guardianship; proximity to motivated offenders.
D) Victims' benefits; offenders' costs.
E) A and C
F) B and D

Question 16

According to the National Violence against Women Study (NVAWS), most female victims of sexual assault, physical assault, stalking, and threats of violence sought help from _____________.

A) Social service agencies.
B) Doctors and nurses.
C) The criminal justice system.
D) Family and friends.
E) School psychiatrists.

Question 17

Which of the following is not a potential benefit victims may experience through talking to someone about their victimization?

A) Seeking further help.
B) Sorting out their experience.
C) Seeking vengeance against the offender.
D) Acknowledging their victimization.

Question 18

Two challenges in bystander interventions as a means to prevent victimization are (1) ____________ and (2) ___________.

A) Prompting compassion among bystanders; issuing rewards for interventions.
B) Ensuring the offender is not injured; providing victim compensation.
C) Promoting safety during interventions; assisting with training.
D) Fostering a sense of responsibility; prompting bystanders to intervene.
E) All of the above are challenges in bystander intervention.

Question 19

______________ is (are) not included among the influence(s) in bystander intervention decisions?

A) Evaluation apprehension.
B) Modeling.
C) Confidence in skills.
D) Diffusion of responsibility.
E) Pluralistic ignorance.
F) All of the above are included among the influences.

Question 20

According to bystander decision-making research, bystanders can be compelled to intervene and prevent victimization if they are _____________.

A) Paid to intervene to stop victimization.
B) Given the proper training about how to effectively intervene in risky crime situations.
C) Convinced they can act in this capacity.
D) Given assistance by law enforcement.
E) B and C

Question 21

You and one of your roommates do not see eye to eye about politics. After attending a party where both of you drink alcohol, you get into a heated discussion about world events and politics. Your roommate takes your CJ of the Year Student Award and throws it at you; it hits you in the arm and causes a large cut that starts to bleed (later you have to get five stitches). The award then falls to the ground, where it shatters into many pieces. Your roommate then stomps on the award and spits on it while threatening to harm you even further.
Do you acknowledge what happened to you as a crime? If so, what type of crime is it and why do you acknowledge it as such? If not, why do you not acknowledge what has happened as a crime? State at least three reasons for either answer.

Question 22

Select any type of crime. Discuss two reasons for each of the following:
(a) Why someone would be likely to report this type of crime to law enforcement.
(b) Why someone would NOT be likely to report this type of crime to law enforcement.
(c) Why you would report this type of crime to law enforcement.
(d) Why you would NOT report this type of crime to law enforcement?

Question 23

What factors would influence your decision to intervene if you witnessed someone (a friend) (a fellow student) (a stranger) being (physically) (sexually) harmed (or verbally threatened) (sexual harassed) at (a party) (in a residence hall) (in a public setting, such as a parking lot or on the sidewalk)?
Discuss three factors that would influence your decision to intervene. Explain how and why each one would influence whether you intervened.
You can vary question using different examples in parentheses. You could also vary characteristics of the person-sex, race, age, etc.

Question 24

Describe three reasons why victim acknowledgment is important (can be in terms of personal adjustment, criminal justice system, advocacy and resources, etc.).

Question 25

Would you recommend that a victim of any personal crime engage in self-protective behavior? Why or why not? Provide at least two reasons for your answer.

Question 26

State and describe three factors involved in bystander intervention decisions.