CC100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Homicide, Shoplifting, Mitigating Factor
Document Summary
Was not considered important for a long time, but it was discovered in late 60s that victim"s function is important in the criminal process. Victimology= the scientific study of victims of crime. According to 2009 general social survey, about 25% of canadians were victims of at least one crime in a year, 7. 4 million incidents were reported, and 9,792,000 were unreported. Cost-wise (estimates show cost of auto theft claims= 1 billion $/year) for taxpayers and individual (insurance premiums, medical costs, etc) Productivity losses due to injury, medical costs, psychological pain, emotional trauma. Cost of white-collar crime, tax evasion, stock market manipulation. Decreases quality of life because crime makes us feel unsafe. Victimization by criminal justice system- may be subjected to intensive questioning by police, including suspicion that they were at fault. Property kept as evidence and sometimes never returned. Time wasted when victims appear in court only to have their case dismissed.
