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Victimization

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Full-Text Articles in Criminology

The Impact Of Prior Abusive Dating Experiences And Gender On Romance Scam Victimization And Monetary Loss, Trevor Rowe Apr 2026

The Impact Of Prior Abusive Dating Experiences And Gender On Romance Scam Victimization And Monetary Loss, Trevor Rowe

Department of Psychology

Online romance scams are a rapidly expanding cybercrime that affects millions of people each year, financially and emotionally. This study examines an underexplored question: Will individuals with a greater number of abusive partners be more vulnerable to romance scam victimizations and lose more money? Adult dating app users (N = 518) completed an online survey. After controlling for being approached for relationships, those with a greater number of past abusive partners were more likely to be victims and lost more money. In addition, men reported a higher frequency of romance scam victimizations and more money loss.


"This Is Not A Scam!": Assessment Of An Awareness Raising Program Tackling Older Adults' Scam Victimization In A Multi-Method Study, Katalin Parti, Pamela Teaster, Susanna Rinehart, Charles Dye Mar 2026

"This Is Not A Scam!": Assessment Of An Awareness Raising Program Tackling Older Adults' Scam Victimization In A Multi-Method Study, Katalin Parti, Pamela Teaster, Susanna Rinehart, Charles Dye

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Interactive theatre has long been used to educate and empower communities and prevent crime across all age groups. Although older populations are disproportionately victimized through fraudulent online schemes, effective educational interventions, like interactive theatre, have not been utilized to increase crime awareness. This paper describes an explorational research project, analyzing the results of a theatre-based fraud awareness program aimed towards educating victims and their communities about scams targeting older people. The study employs a mixed-method research design to examine program impact. In applying multifaceted tools of data collection, such as survey, participant observation, and follow-up interviews, the research team identified …


Cyber Offending Among Adolescents: The Role Of Thoughtfully Reflective Decision-Making And Victimization, Revital Sela-Shayovitz, Tamar Berenblum, Sharon Toys Apr 2025

Cyber Offending Among Adolescents: The Role Of Thoughtfully Reflective Decision-Making And Victimization, Revital Sela-Shayovitz, Tamar Berenblum, Sharon Toys

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

There has been growing attention to the role of the decision-making process in crime involvement in recent years. However, less is known about the association between the decision-making process and adolescents’ online offending. The present study examined whether thoughtfully reflective decision-making (TRDM) and cyber victimization are related to adolescents’ cybercrime. Data were obtained from self-report questionnaires administered to 510 Israeli adolescents aged 13-20. The results indicate that TRDM is negatively associated with engagement in online offending. Furthermore, cyber victimization is significantly associated with online offending. In addition, a significant predictor of online offending is intense activity on social media. We …


Gender, Victimization, And Delinquency: Examining Gendered Pathways To Crime Among Juveniles, Caitlin Hinds Jan 2025

Gender, Victimization, And Delinquency: Examining Gendered Pathways To Crime Among Juveniles, Caitlin Hinds

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The intersection of gender, crime, and victimization is a critical area of study within criminology, particularly as it relates to understanding the differing pathways men and women take into criminal behavior. Historically, crime statistics have shown a significant male predominance, particularly in violent offenses. Feminist criminology has played an essential role in reframing the narrative around gender and crime, emphasizing the need to examine the gender pathways that shape male and female experiences differently. While men may employ violence more overtly, women often rely on more subtle strategies to navigate criminal activities, avoiding physical confrontation when possible. Feminist criminologists argue …


Preventing The Violent (Re)Victimization Of Sexual Minority Populations: The Role Of Social Support Networks., Bryan Charles Moore May 2024

Preventing The Violent (Re)Victimization Of Sexual Minority Populations: The Role Of Social Support Networks., Bryan Charles Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year, interpersonal violence affects an important segment of the world population, having deleterious effects on the victims, their families, and societies. Recent scholarship indicates that sexual and gender minority population groups are overrepresented among those who experience or have experienced verbal, psychological, physical, and/or sexual violence. Using an integrative approach, the current study links the past and the present to identify the contextual factors that may increase or decrease the sexual minorities’ risk of violent victimization during adulthood. This dissertation uses as a theoretical framework Bronfenbrenner’s (1977, 1979, 1994) social ecological model of human development as well as its …


Understanding Victim-Offender Overlap Among Youth In Custody In The United States And Taiwan, Tzu-Ying Lo Sep 2023

Understanding Victim-Offender Overlap Among Youth In Custody In The United States And Taiwan, Tzu-Ying Lo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The issue of the victim-offender overlap was identified more than 60 years ago (Wolfgang, 1958), but it was not until the last decade that research interest in the victim-offender overlap began to flourish. Although the victim-offender overlap is arguably established by a substantial body of research, a closer look at the existing literature will find scant attention paid to the incarcerated population. Recent studies (Daquin & Daigle, 2020; Kuo et al., 2021; Toman, 2017) have begun to discover the victim-offender overlap in adult prisons, but the victim-offender overlap in juvenile facilities remains underexplored. To fill the research gap, this dissertation …


Understanding Deviance And Victimization In Cyber Space Among Diverse Populations, Insun Park Nov 2022

Understanding Deviance And Victimization In Cyber Space Among Diverse Populations, Insun Park

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Recent years have witnessed a growing academic interest in deviance and victimization in the cyber space. The current issue of the International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence and Cybercrime features three empirical research articles on online behavior of traditionally under-researched populations and a review of much waited book on digital forensics and investigation. This paper was prepared to introduce these important scholarly works in the context of newly emerging scholarship that focuses on the experiences of diverse subgroups in cyberspace.


Emerging Trends In Cybercrime Awareness In Nigeria, Ogochukwu Favour Nzeakor, Bonaventure N. Nwokeoma, Ibrahim Hassan, Benjamin Okorie Ajah, John T. Okpa Nov 2022

Emerging Trends In Cybercrime Awareness In Nigeria, Ogochukwu Favour Nzeakor, Bonaventure N. Nwokeoma, Ibrahim Hassan, Benjamin Okorie Ajah, John T. Okpa

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

The study examined the current trend in cybercrime awareness and the relationship such trend has with cybercrime vulnerability or victimization. Selecting a sample of 1104 Internet users from Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, We found that: 1) awareness of information security was high in that about 2 in every 3 (68%) participants demonstrated a favorable awareness of information security and cybercrime. It was, however, revealed that such a high level of awareness could be partial and weak. 2) most Internet users demonstrated the awareness of fraud-related cybercrime categories (39%), e-theft (15%), hacking (12%), and ATM theft (10%). However, they were rarely …


The Impact Of Appearance On Transgender Victimization, Tabrina M. Bratton Aug 2022

The Impact Of Appearance On Transgender Victimization, Tabrina M. Bratton

Theses and Dissertations

Trans people experience disproportionate rates of victimization compared to cisgender people. This disparity persists despite the finding that many of the same predictors of cisgender victimization have been identified for transgender victimization (e.g., age, race, income, employment, sex work participation, homelessness), which suggest transgender-specific factors may be at play. Some scholars have proposed that transgender victimization is due to their non-conforming appearance. The purpose of this dissertation was to expand our understanding of anti-trans violence by concentrating on the relationship between appearance and sexual and recent physical victimization. This dissertation builds upon the existing transgender victimization literature by focusing on …


Repeating Patterns: Does Emotional Child Abuse Lead To Intimate Partner Abuse?, Kathryn R. Henry Aug 2022

Repeating Patterns: Does Emotional Child Abuse Lead To Intimate Partner Abuse?, Kathryn R. Henry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Childhood abuse and intimate partner abuse (IPA) are serious issues in the United States This study examines the correlation between emotional childhood abuse and IPA. Anyone regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status may be a victim of childhood abuse or IPA. One in seven children are victims of childhood abuse, which results in a lifetime cost of $428 billion. The costs of IPA are even higher and estimated by the CDC (2020) to be near $3.6 trillion as 25% of women and 20% of men have been victims of IPA. Previous research has found a connection between childhood maltreatment …


What Happens In Vegas: The Influence Of Las Vegas On High-Risk Attitudes And Behaviors, Marissa Tiemann May 2022

What Happens In Vegas: The Influence Of Las Vegas On High-Risk Attitudes And Behaviors, Marissa Tiemann

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The probability of victimization is affected by various factors, such as child abuse, a history of victimization, sexual assault, substance abuse, and risky behaviors. Previous research has attributed differences in victimization risk to differences in lifestyle. Overtly sexual cultures like Las Vegas, Nevada, could impact the adoption of risky behaviors (e.g., binge drinking, casual sex, and substance abuse) that could increase victimization risks. This study seeks to understand the impact of the city of Las Vegas on adopting high risk sexual attitudes and behaviors by examining the length of time an individual has spent in Las Vegas. This study used …


The Effects Of Victimization And Trauma On Well-Being, Physical Health Nutritional Habits, And Resting Heart Rate (Rhr) Based On Gender And Sexual Orientation, Mary Hannah Hughes Mar 2022

The Effects Of Victimization And Trauma On Well-Being, Physical Health Nutritional Habits, And Resting Heart Rate (Rhr) Based On Gender And Sexual Orientation, Mary Hannah Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

There is a well-established and growing body of research dedicated to understanding the influence of past victimization on physical health outcomes. Consequently, knowledge on identifying how past victimization types influence each domain of physical health and if these outcomes differ by gender and sexual orientation remains largely absent within literature. Therefore, the purpose of the following study is to expound upon victimization literature by examining the physical health outcomes associated with different victimization types and to examine how these factors differ by both gender and sexual orientation with regard to victimization type (personal, property, and stalking). Guided by both life-course …


Civiic: Cybercrime In Virginia: Impacts On Industry And Citizens Final Report, Randy Gainey, Tancy Vandecar-Burdin, Jay Albanese, Thomas Dearden, James Hawdon, Katalin Parti Jan 2022

Civiic: Cybercrime In Virginia: Impacts On Industry And Citizens Final Report, Randy Gainey, Tancy Vandecar-Burdin, Jay Albanese, Thomas Dearden, James Hawdon, Katalin Parti

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

[First paragraph] Victimization from cybercrime is a major concern in Virginia, the US, and the world. As individuals and businesses spend more time online, it becomes increasingly important to understand cybercrime and how to protect against it. Such an understanding is dependent on valid and reliable baseline data that identifies the specific nature, extent, and outcomes of cybercrime activity. A better understanding of cybercrime activity is needed to target and prevent it more effectively, minimize its consequences, and provide support for both individual and corporate victims. Before that can occur, however, better baseline data are required, and this project was …


Intimate Partner Violence In The Rio Grande Valley: The Role Of Culture, Tania Diaz Dec 2021

Intimate Partner Violence In The Rio Grande Valley: The Role Of Culture, Tania Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

Mexican culture along the border towns of the Rio Grande dominates views towards women and men experiencing violence in intimate relationships. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies relating to intimate partner violence in the Rio Grande Valley. This study addresses the dynamics of abusive relationship in a Hispanic community that can be influenced by cultural concepts such as familism and marianismo. The author utilized a mixed methods approach for this study that included a sample of (n = 513) surveys and (n = 13) interviews that were analyzed separately. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess …


An Exploration Of The Psychological Impact Of Hacking Victimization, Alexa Palassis, Craig P. Speelman, Julie Ann Pooley Nov 2021

An Exploration Of The Psychological Impact Of Hacking Victimization, Alexa Palassis, Craig P. Speelman, Julie Ann Pooley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Cybercrime has rapidly grown in prevalence and potential for harm and disruption for victims. Studies have examined the adverse psychological impact of cybercrime for victims; however, the specific effects for victims of hacking are unexplored. The present study aimed to investigate the psychological impacts of hacking victimization through exploration of the experience of victims of hacking. The study employed an in-depth phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of 11 victims of hacking. Semi-structured interviews were used as a tool for data collection, and thematic analysis of the data revealed four main themes: emotional impact; an increased sense of vulnerability; a …


The Victims’ Voices: A Routine Activity Approach To Jail And Prison Victimization, Victor St. John Sep 2021

The Victims’ Voices: A Routine Activity Approach To Jail And Prison Victimization, Victor St. John

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The study explores the occurrence of victimization while incarcerated in American jails and prisons. Consistent with the Routine Activity Approach – which explains that victimization occurs due to the convergence of a suitable target and a motivated offender in time and space, and the absence of a capable guardian, handler, and place manager –, this study investigates the applicability of the approach within the correctional setting, namely the influence of place management, access to informal guardians, and the victims’ perception of correctional officers’ capability on preventing victimization (the formal guardian). A mixed methods design was employed, analyzing 87 semi-structured interviews …


Racial Disparities In Police Crime Victimization, Philip M. Stinson, Chloe Wentzlof, John Liederbach, Steven L. Brewer Jul 2021

Racial Disparities In Police Crime Victimization, Philip M. Stinson, Chloe Wentzlof, John Liederbach, Steven L. Brewer

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Crime And Victimization: A Mixed-Methods Approach To Understanding Collective Efficacy And Social Cohesion In The Rural Heartland, Ashley Lockwood, April Terry Ph.D. Jul 2021

Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Crime And Victimization: A Mixed-Methods Approach To Understanding Collective Efficacy And Social Cohesion In The Rural Heartland, Ashley Lockwood, April Terry Ph.D.

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Previous criminological literature has mostly neglected rural communities, often treating these places as smaller pieces of urban culture. Literature suggests rural communities operate differently than urban neighborhoods, with distinctive values, norms, and community cohesion. For example, concepts surrounding collective efficacy may work counterproductively in rural areas—further exploiting outed community members within “close-knit” environments. The current study sought to compare perceptions of collective efficacy and social cohesion, crime, and victimization between rural and urban counties across one Midwestern rural state. Using a mixed-methods approach, community stakeholders from a variety of professions were surveyed. Quantitative results suggest similar perceptions of collective efficacy …


Restoration Of A Nation, Deshauna Williams Apr 2021

Restoration Of A Nation, Deshauna Williams

Honors College Theses

Restorative justice is a growing school of penal thought which places emphasis on restoration and healing rather than punitive solutions. The purpose of this study is to assess whether prior experience with the criminal justice system, either as a victim, as an offender, or as an employee, affects perceptions of the foundations of restorative justice. These foundations include ideas such as punishment, retribution, and victim involvement. Additionally, this study examines how these perspectives influence the respondents’ perception of effectiveness or “justness” of the criminal justice system. Findings reveal that offenders have more negative views of punishment as a method of …


A Qualitative Examination Of Homeless Lgbtq+ Adults In Arkansas, Trye Price Apr 2021

A Qualitative Examination Of Homeless Lgbtq+ Adults In Arkansas, Trye Price

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately represented among the homeless population. While homeless, members of the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to face discrimination, stigmatization, and victimization than their heterosexual counterparts. Although previous research on homelessness among the LGBTQ+ community has been insightful, we know little about the lived experiences of homeless LGBTQ+ adults in Arkansas. Therefore, the current study sought to understand the life experiences of LGBTQ+ adults in Arkansas who are or were homeless at one time in their adult lives. More specifically, this study focused on how individuals enter and exit homelessness, incidents of physical …


A New Frontier: The Development And Validation Of The Intimate Partner Cyber Abuse Instrument, Erica R. Fissel, Amanda Grham, Leah C. Butler, Bonnie S. Fisher Mar 2021

A New Frontier: The Development And Validation Of The Intimate Partner Cyber Abuse Instrument, Erica R. Fissel, Amanda Grham, Leah C. Butler, Bonnie S. Fisher

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

As technology advances, new opportunities for partners to gain power and control in their romantic relationships are readily available. New cyber-based behaviors have slowly garnered scholarly attention, but measurement-related issues have not. We take the logical next steps to (1) develop and validate a comprehensive measure of intimate partner cyber abuse (IPCA) for adults using classical test theory and item response theory and (2) estimate IPCA prevalence rate for a range of relationship types. A sample of 1,500 adults, currently in an intimate partner relationship, 18 years or older, and living in the United States, completed an online questionnaire about …


Mandatory Sexual Assault Kit Testing Policies And Arrest Trends: A Natural Experiment, Scott M. Mourtgos, Ian T. Adams, Justin Nix, Tara N. Richards Feb 2021

Mandatory Sexual Assault Kit Testing Policies And Arrest Trends: A Natural Experiment, Scott M. Mourtgos, Ian T. Adams, Justin Nix, Tara N. Richards

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The present study employs a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effects of a mandatory sexual assault kit (SAK) testing policy on rape arrests in a large western US jurisdiction. We use a Bayesian structural time-series model and monthly data on arrests for rape from 2010 through 2019. In the post-implementation period, we observed a downward trend in the arrest rate for rape. Based on the results, the most conservative interpretation of our findings is that the policy implementation did not affect rape arrest rates. While mandatory SAK testing policies are often advocated for based on the belief that they will …


What Do We Know About Senior Citizens As Cybervictims? A Rapid Evidence Synthesis, Laura Huey, Lorna Ferguson Jan 2021

What Do We Know About Senior Citizens As Cybervictims? A Rapid Evidence Synthesis, Laura Huey, Lorna Ferguson

Sociology Publications

Internet-based victimization of senior citizens is an important potential threat of growing social, economic, and public policy interest. Given this, we sought to examine whether the existing research base could be used to formulate sound public policy in this area. To do so, we conducted a rapid evidence synthesis and assessment of the research literature from 2010-2020 surrounding three central organizing themes: cyber-related harms, responses and strategies, and prevention programs and solutions. Results reveal that there is an insufficient research base, lack of diverse research topics, and shortage of research beyond that of which is exploratory in nature. However, our …


Adult Delinquency And Victimization: A Test Of Differential Association Theory With New Data, Shah Alam Jan 2021

Adult Delinquency And Victimization: A Test Of Differential Association Theory With New Data, Shah Alam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The theory of differential association applies not only to adolescent people but also to the adult population. A lot of studies tested this theory on delinquent behavior but tests on victimization are rare. Using West Virginia Social Survey 2020 data, this study finds that there is an association between having delinquent friends and learning of self-delinquency in the adult population. It also reports that self-victimization can be predicted with having delinquent friends. The highest probability of victimization is twice for people for having pain medication misuser friends than of people having marijuana user friends. But self-delinquent behaviors do not report …


Seeing And Responding: How Students Perceive School Personnel To Fail To Respond To Bullying, Ethan M. Higgins, Benjamin W. Fisher, Maury Nation Dec 2020

Seeing And Responding: How Students Perceive School Personnel To Fail To Respond To Bullying, Ethan M. Higgins, Benjamin W. Fisher, Maury Nation

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Although research has shown that students and school personnel believe that adults respond to bullying at different rates, it is unclear why these differences occur. Using open-ended survey responses from 189 students, this study investigates why students perceive that school personnel fail to respond to bullying. Students articulated a variety of reasons for school personnel’s lack of response, including ways in which they could fail to see, notice, or respond to the bullying. In turn, students used their agency to understand and counteract school personnel’s lack of response. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed."


A Vehicle For Crime: Ridesharing And Victimization, Lacey Roughton Aug 2020

A Vehicle For Crime: Ridesharing And Victimization, Lacey Roughton

Theses and Dissertations

Ridesharing services that allow the exchange of transportation services between a private vehicle owner and a passenger via smartphone applications (e.g., Uber, Lyft, and others) have revolutionized the way people travel within cities, however, ridesharing may be associated with changes in victimization risks. Few empirical studies have explored the possible connection between ridesharing and crime. This study examined the relationship between ridesharing and crime in Chicago and explored the types of crimes that occurred during ridesharing, the situational characteristics of those crimes, and how many crimes in ridesharing resulted in arrest. Crimes within taxi cabs, similar to ridesharing, were assessed …


Who Are The Mavens Of Bystander Intervention? Implications For The Social Diffusion Of Intervention Norms, Leah C. Butler, Bonnie S. Fisher Jul 2020

Who Are The Mavens Of Bystander Intervention? Implications For The Social Diffusion Of Intervention Norms, Leah C. Butler, Bonnie S. Fisher

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A recent randomized controlled trial reported that Green Dot (GD)—a bystander intervention training program that targets popular opinion leaders for intensive training—reduced school-level interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization. Expanding GD’s targeted group members to include “mavens” of bystander intervention—those who spread bystander intervention norms to others by communicating with peers—may increase the effectiveness of such training. Self-report data collected from students at the 13 intervention high schools in Kentucky are analyzed to identify characteristics of those who engage in discussions with peers about preventing interpersonal violence. Findings show that students who engage in more frequent bystander behaviors are more likely …


Integrated Perspective Of Low Self-Control And Lifestyle-Exposure: Gender Differences In Victimization Risk Among South Korean Youth, Hyounggon Kwak Nov 2019

Integrated Perspective Of Low Self-Control And Lifestyle-Exposure: Gender Differences In Victimization Risk Among South Korean Youth, Hyounggon Kwak

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the link between low self-control, risky lifestyles, and victimization, using data from 1,057 South Korean adolescents included in the Study on Childhood Delinquency. Specifically, this study explores a full mediation model to test whether risky lifestyles (unstructured activity, association with deviant peers, and delinquency) account for the effect of low self-control on victimization. The results indicated that low self-control only had an indirect effect on victimization primarily through unstructured time and one’s own delinquency. In addition, this study explored whether variations in the adolescent routine activities foster engagement in delinquency via association with deviant peers. Advancing prior …


Understanding Trauma And Victimization In Women's Incarceration: California's Treatment Response, Marissa Tuttle-Roache Jun 2019

Understanding Trauma And Victimization In Women's Incarceration: California's Treatment Response, Marissa Tuttle-Roache

Social Sciences

The purpose of this review is to provide an exploration of past research on women's pathways to incarceration, specifically discussing how this problem affects California women. Using research from various case studies, both quantitative and qualitative, this review examines the correlation between life experiences and incarceration for women. California laws and policies that mitigate the impact incarceration has historically had on women will be discussed. This research provides a better understanding of the treatment needs of incarcerated women and the programs that could provide them with some positive resources to succeed post incarceration and avoid recidivism.


Gender And Serious Youth Victimization: Assessing The Generality Of Self-Control, Differential Association, And Social Bonding Theories, Egbert Zavala, Ryan E. Spohn, Leanne F. Alarid May 2019

Gender And Serious Youth Victimization: Assessing The Generality Of Self-Control, Differential Association, And Social Bonding Theories, Egbert Zavala, Ryan E. Spohn, Leanne F. Alarid

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Criminologists have long questioned whether theories that have focused on male delinquency are equally applicable to female delinquency, a phenomenon termed “gender generalizability.” While a number of studies have used self-reports from offenders, criminologists have yet to extend this issue to crime victims. While controlling for variables derived from victimization theories, we test three criminological perspectives (self-control, differential association, and social bond) on male and female victimization using data obtained from the Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) Program in the United States. Results show that for male victimization, gang membership and indications of a deviant lifestyle …