Victims of crime

    AQA
    GCSE

    Candidates must analyse the social construction of 'victimhood', contrasting Positivist Victimology (Miers) with Critical Victimology (Mawby and Walklate). Study focuses on the unequal distribution of victimization risks across social groups (class, gender, ethnicity, age) and the 'inverse victimisation law'. Assessment requires evaluation of the impact of victimization, including fear of crime and secondary victimization by the criminal justice system.

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    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for explicit use of sociological terminology such as 'repeat victimization', 'indirect victimization', and 'secondary victimization'.
    • Credit responses that accurately interpret data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) to challenge common misconceptions about victim profiles.
    • Candidates must apply sociological theories (e.g., Left Realism, Feminist perspectives on domestic violence) to explain patterns of victimization.
    • High-level responses must evaluate the reliability and validity of victim surveys versus police recorded statistics.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for explicit use of sociological terminology such as 'repeat victimization', 'indirect victimization', and 'secondary victimization'.
    • Credit responses that accurately interpret data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) to challenge common misconceptions about victim profiles.
    • Candidates must apply sociological theories (e.g., Left Realism, Feminist perspectives on domestic violence) to explain patterns of victimization.
    • High-level responses must evaluate the reliability and validity of victim surveys versus police recorded statistics.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡When discussing data, explicitly name the 'Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)' rather than saying 'surveys show'.
    • 💡In 12-mark essays, ensure every paragraph follows the PERC structure: Point, Explanation, Reference (Evidence/Theory), and Critique/Counter-point.
    • 💡Link the concept of the 'dark figure of crime' specifically to why victims might not report (e.g., embarrassment, fear of reprisal, lack of trust in police).
    • 💡Differentiate between 'personal crime' (violence, theft) and 'household crime' (burglary) when analyzing statistics.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Conflating 'offender' profiles with 'victim' profiles without acknowledging the statistical overlap (victim-offender overlap).
    • Incorrectly asserting that the elderly are the most likely victims of violent crime due to media representations, ignoring statistical evidence pointing to young males.
    • Describing 'fear of crime' as a direct measure of victimization rather than a social construct influenced by media amplification.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss
    Evaluate
    To what extent

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