MALASIQUI AGNO VALLEY COLLEGE

Bonifacio St. Pobacion Malasiqui, Pangasinan

Report In
Criminology II
Theories of
Crime Causation

Submitted to:
PMAJ Dante M Macaraeg (Ret), RCrim

Submitted by:
Aljon S. Fernandez

Section:
BS Criminology - 2F
Theories of Crime Causation
Instructor: PMAJ Dante M Macaraeg (Ret), RCrim

Course Title: Theories Of Crime Causation

 Course code: Criminology 2
 Credit Units: 3 units

Course Overview/ Description
This course describes the importance of theories and its relation to crime. It will present
to the contemporary vague world of wrongdoing the different schools of thought
associated to crime causation concerning biological, psychological, sociological, mental
and behavioral foundations. It will also discuss the theories in its historical context and
reviews the primary assumptions of the principles and conclusions that criminality is a
social problem that needs to be understand.

Course Objectives:
At the end of the course, the reader/learner will be able to:
1. Recall the major concepts of the theories of crime causation.
2. Recognize the participation of every member of the society in the proliferation and
increase of crime rate.
3. Demonstrate a better understanding on the different theories affecting the biological,
psychological, sociological and integrated influences on criminal behavior.
4. Discuss the practical applications of the theories of crime in shaping criminal justice
policies and relate the same to the social problems in the society.
5. Identify the origin of crime causation and the most affected areas in the community.
6. Recommend crime solutions based on the principles of crime causations.

Theories Of Crime Causation

LECTURE 1: Causes of Crime
 Background
 The Causes of Youth Violence
LECTURE 2: Theories of Crime
 What are the Theories of Crime Causation
 Theories that further explains the Commission of Crimes
 Different Types of Feminists Theory
 The four Choice Theories of Crime
LECTURE 3: Theories of Victimization
 Types of Victimology
 The Four Theories Of Victimization
 Victim Categories
 Types of Victims Specific Types of Victimization
LECTURE 4: Crime Causation Explanation
 Three Theoretical Explanation Of Crime Causation
 The Future of Crime Theories and its explanation

Question:
What is Crime?
Crime is an act or omission punishable by law.
An illegal act for which someone can be punished by the government especially:
1. a gross violation of law
2. a grave offense specially against morality
3. criminal activity efforts to fight crime
4. something reprehensible, foolish, or disgraceful its crime to waste good food.

Question:
What is an Act?
An “act" may be any kind of voluntary human behavior. It is generally agreed that the
essential ingredients of any crime are:
1. A voluntary act or omission (actus reus)
2. A certain state of mind (mens rea)
Example:
 Murder
 Assault
 Theft
 Drunken driving

Question:
What is Omission?
Criminal omission is based on the theory that failure to perform a legal duty when one
has the capacity to do so is a substitute for the commission of a defined offense when
the harm done is the same.
Example:
 Information left out of a report. like the price of the shoes the you did not reveal.
 The act of neglecting to perform an action one has an obligation to do.
 Something not done or neglected

Common Causes Of Crime
1. Overpopulation
It is the biggest cause of crime. In Asia, Philippines is one of the countries whose
population proliferate. And increase in population is the biggest cause of crime and
much of the world's worries. The government initiates a mechanism to control birth such
as artificial birth control and even dole out contraceptive pills. Although population
increase is related to each and every cause mentioned here, it still needs to be looked
at as a cause of crime. The increase of population triggers a dynamo effect in society
and this leads to the creation of more people with some form of frustration or
resentment towards society as such.

2. Poverty
It is the major cause of crime around the world. Third world countries like Philippines is
one among the poorest that experience the negative effect of it. People are often driven
to great lengths of desperation by poverty and this is a foremost cause of crime all
around the world.
Programs of the Philippine Government to alleviate poverty:
 Affordable housing
 Dole out cash assistance (4Ps - Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino)
 Free Medical Assistance/Medicine
 Free seeds for farmers, and a lot more

3. Politics
It is often a cause of crime. Political power is often misused to take advantage of
weaker groups and people and the dissidence that rises out of such situations often
force the victims to resort to crimes.
Politicians want to stay in their position because of the following common reasons:
R - Recognition
A - Authority
M - Money/Manipulation
P - Power

4. Racism
Racism has contributed a lot of unrest to many places all around the world. In local
areas, racism is better understood as the comparison of the:

✓Rich Vs Poor

✓ Beautiful Vs Ugly

✓Black Vs White

✓Tall Vs Short and

✓ Mansion Vs Nipa Hut

5. Television or TV Violence
TV violence has gone up to staggering levels and it does not help when people are
Influenced and try to emulate such acts of violence. TV violence is a major cause of
crime especially among younger peopled that are unable to differentiate between fiction
and reality.
Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is in charge of the
conduct review to movies before it will be out in cinemas and televisions. Their functions
include:
 Classifying the movie (for adults only or for General patronage)
 Screening the scene prior to its publication

6. Regionalism and Isolation

It is a major cause of crime and unrest among people.
It is often that a victim of such regionalism gets influenced and enter the world of
crimes.
It is observed by means of:
 Separation of educated to literate
 Recognition only for the rich and wealth
 Products produced by the community
 Dialect they speak

7. Family Condition
There are a lot of things that go on in families that often cause people to get into a life of
crime. Abuse during formative years from family members and other such acts also
instigate a person into a life of crime. Family violence and other issues are also related
to crime in many ways.
Some of which are listed below:
 Unemployment of parents
 No formal schooling of parents
 Parents who are into vices
 Separation of parents
 Irresponsible parents
 Undisciplined children due to their improper upbringing
 Family abuses (physically is noticeable)

8. Depression and other Social and Mental Disorders a Person under depression or
some other serious mental disorder can also easily cause harm to themselves. these
occur when a person experienced the following: Loss of loved ones
 Frustrated in her/his dream
 Unwanted child
  Suffering from severe illness
 Fear

9. Prohibited Drugs
A person addicted to drugs is unable to support their addiction and more often than not
they end up in a life of crime to fuel their habits.
People tend to be in this vice due to some reasons:
 Family problems
 Peer pressure
 Environment
 Availability in the black market
 Negligence of parents

10. Victim of Unfair Rulings and the Correction System (Prison system)
Victims of unfair or Incorrect rulings from court often cause people to enter a life of
crime. Jails or prisons make worse criminals out of people because of the conditions
that exist there.
The unfair ruling can be experienced by prisoners through the following:
 Insufficient food/water supply
 Not conducive cell/room
 No medication
 Unfair visiting privilege
 No open communication
 Injustices inside jail/cells

The Causes of Youth Violence

Everyday, print media and televisions are not live without their news story about the
minor and youth violence. Whether at home. and or a streel violence, bullying and
oppression, or a school shooting, our country's youth is plagued by violent behavior.
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines youth violence as an extreme
form of aggression with the goal of physical harm, injury, or death.
Example:
 Rape
 Homicides
 School Shootings to Gang Violence And Bullying
Most Common Causes of Violence Among Teens
 Teen Communities And Neighborhoods - Where teens live can also have an
impact on them and lead them to act more aggressively. Additionally, a study by
the APA found that youth violence can become a form of street justice in
response to the lack of police protection or patrols in poorer neighborhoods.
 Media Influence - Research studies indicate that violence in the media
influences teens and can cause them to act aggressively and violently.
Furthermore, violent video game users tend to interact with other aggressive
teens, which makes them belong to a group and feel accepted and confirmed for
their thoughts and feelings.
 Domestic Violence And Child Abuse - Abuses and maltreatment happening at
home are signs of unhealthy homes where children are basically threatened and
will become part of their weak and fragile foundation. Children who live and
witness violence in the home learn by example and can become violent people
as they grow up. They also are more likely to experience teen dating violence
either as a victim or an aggressor.
 Insufficient Parental Supervision - Parents who focused on their work and on
how they increase their income are more likely to experience the lack of
supervision to their children. Teenagers need fair and firm discipline and
consistent interaction with and direction from their parents. When parents take an
active role in their teens/ lives, it reduces the likelihood of teen violence.
 Peer Pressure - Plays a vital role in youth violence, especially because kids are
more likely to engage in risky or violent behaviors when they act as a group. As a
result, teen who normally would not be aggressive or violent on their own feel
empowered when in a group. They are also likely to be violent or aggressive
when they feel pressured. They may also become violent in order to maintain
their place in the group. Peer pressure can even lead teens to engage in risk
taking behaviors.
 Drug and Alcohol Abuse - Alcohol and drug use has long been associated with
the risk for youth violence. In fact, both alcohol and drug use can increase
aggression and reduce fear, which increases the likelihood of youth violence.
 Traumatic Events - Dealing with traumatic events also can cause violent
behavior in teens When violence occurs, it should always be addressed.
Teens who exhibit signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a
traumatic event also may be prone to violence. It is extremely important for teens
with PTSD to get the counseling and intervention that they need.
 Mental Illness - Is another cause of violence among teens. Mental issues like
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). bipolar, oppositional defiant
disorder (ODD). and conduct disorder all have aggressive behaviors or angry
feelings as common symptoms.
Theories of Crime
Reasons Why There Is A Crime
 Sociological Theory - Under this theory we have the four groups of theories;

✓ Social Structure Theory

✓ Social process Theory

✓ Social Reaction Theory

✓ Social Control Theory

What Is Social Structure Theory?

In Sociology, it is the distinctive, stable arrangement of institutions whereby human
beings in a society interact and live together.
Example;
1. Family
2. Religion
3. Law
4. Economy
5. Class

Social Structure Theory

Under the Social Structure Theory we have the so called sub theory.
1. Social Disorganizational Theory - A state of society characterized by the
breakdown of effective social control resulting in a lack of functional integration
between groups, conflicting social attitudes, and personal maladjustment. And
also it refers to the life conditions of the group of individual, or individual residing
in example urban or rural area wherein the crime rate is considered as high
because of family problem, poverty, single parenthood. etc. or the crime rate is
prevalent (talamak) specially in informal seller areas (rural) followed by anger,
resentment.
Three Concepts Of Disorganization Theory;
  Physical status
 Economic Status
 Population Status
Why Is Social Disorganization Important?
Theory Social Disorganization in criminology states that communities with high
population turn over rates, diverse populations, and poverty are more likely to
experience high levels of crime due to weakened social bonds.

Who Created Social Disorganization Theory?

SDT is one of the most enduring placed-based theories of crime Developed by Clifford
Shaw and Henry Mckay. This theory shifted criminological scholarship from focus on the
pathology of people to pathlology of places.

2. Social Strain Theory - Refers to the individual frustration caused by inability to

posses acquire their desires in life.
 Social Strain Theory was developed by famed American sociologist Robert K.
Merton. The theory states that social structures may pressure citizens to commit
crimes.
 Strain may be structural, which refers to the processes at the societal level that
filter down and affect how the individual perceives his or her needs.

3. Social Cultural Deviance Theory - Which is focused on culture and sub-culture

way of life (cultura). and suggests that conformity to the prevailing cultural norms
of lower-class society causes crime.
Example: CDT states that crime is correlated strongly to the cultural values and
norms prevalent in a society. In other words, individuals may turn to crime not on
account of any innate character traits, but because they are influenced by the
place they live in, the people they are surrounded by.

Sub-Culture Deviance - groups that develop values and norms considered outside the
culture of the dominant population.
Three Types Of Sub-Cultures:
1) Criminal - involving properly crime
2) Conflict - involving violence
3) Retreatist - involving drugs
What Is Social Process Theory?
It is the result of poor or faulty socialization upbringing and this could lead to criminality.
Sub Process:
 Differential Association Theory - established by Edwin Sutherland in 1947,
explicit the deviance of an individuals behavior and how ig is learned through
interactions with others or associations. One of the components of this theory is,
a person do not inherently become a criminal; it is a learned behavior.
 Differential Reinforcement Theory - is the idea that people are likely o continue
behavior that are reinforced and less likely to continue behaviors that are not.
The tools that can be used to modify behavior are punishment and
reinforcement.
Example: A teacher ignores a student who speak up without raising his hand,
but responds to him when he does raise his hand before he speaks.
 Neutralization Theory - Advanced by the American criminologists David
Cressey, Gresham Sykes, and David Matza, portrays the delinquent as an
individual who subscribe generally to the morals of society but who is able to
justify his own delinquent behavior through a process of neutralization.
Neutralization is defined as a technique, which allows the person to rationalize or
justify a criminal act.
 Also called labelling theory
 It focuses on the linguistic tendency of majority group to negatively label minority
group or those seen as deviant from norms. Social reaction theory or labeling
theory is concerned with how the self-identity and behavior of Individuals may be
determined or influenced by the term used to describe or classify them, and is
associated with the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping.

What is Social Control Theory?

 Individuals have potentials to become criminal but didn't pursue it because it was
being controlled by society] proposes that peoples relationships, commitments,
values, norms, and beliefs encourage them not to break the law.
Example:
Containment - Be contented with what you have.
Outer Containment - Family, church, school are the institutions or group that can help
to prevent criminality.
What Are the Theories of Crime Causation?
Understanding the Theory
 Undoubtedly, worldwide problems today about criminality is attributed to issues
present in the society where prominent theories of crime causation are strain
theory, in which people commit crimes to get relief from strain or stress and or
trauma, and control theory, which claims that others force people to do crimes.
The social learning theory is the idea that people learn to do crimes through
their constant association with others especially their peers.
 Labeling Theory holds that the acts of arresting and prosecuting people
contribute to crime because people become labeled as criminals, Non-criminals
may not want to associate with them, so they associate with other criminals,
which may lead to more criminal behavior
 Another social theory is social disorganization theory, which studies how family,
friends, associates and society in general contribute to a person's properly to
commit crimes. This theory studios why some societies have more crimes than
others.
 A major area of study is economic theories of crime causation. Social scientists
look at what the criminal expects to gain from crime as opposed to what he can
earn from legal work, whether he can get gainful legal employment and what he
perceives as the risk of being caught when committing crimes along with the
severity of punishment.
 Genetic and biological factors may influence criminal behavior Studies involving
adoption and alcoholism in lowa, Denmark and Sweden found a strong link
between genetics and criminality.
 Studies of twins and adoptees have analyzed whether there is a genetic
propensity for violence have had mixed results.
 A theory is a reflective and coherent type of mental or generalizing thinking
about a phenomenon, or the results of such imagination. It is likewise the manner
of figurative reasoning often associated with such processes like remarkable
undertaking including research.
The theories may either be based on science or on the existing phenomena
where it is considered as most reliable and comprehensive.
 In modern learning the term "theory” refer to systematic theories a well
confirmed type of explanation of nature of crime, made in a way consistent with
scientific method, and fulfilling the criteria required by modern science in the field
of criminalistics. Such theories are described in such a way that scientific tests
 should be able to provide empirical support for, or empirically contradict ("falsity)
it. Scientific theories are the most reliable, rigorous, and comprehensive form of
scientific knowledge, in contrast to more common uses of the word "theory that
imply that something is unproven or speculative (which in formal forms belter
characterized by the word hypothesis).
 Scientific theories are distinguished from hypotheses, which are individual
empirically testable conjectures, and from scientific laws, which are descriptive
accounts of the way nature behaves under certain conditions.
 Theories guide the readiness of finding facts rather than of reaching goals, and
are neutral concerning alternatives among values. A theory can be a body of
knowledge regarding the existence of criminality, which may or may not be
associated with particular explanatory models. To theorize is to develop this body
of knowledge.
 Commonly known, the word theory or in theory is more or less often used
erroneously by people to explain something which they Individually did not
experience or tested before. In those instances semantically, it is being replaced
for another concept a hypothesis. Instead of using the word hypothetically, it is
exchanged for a phrase "in theory.
 That "practice prevails when it comes to application" One best example of this is,
when a prudent taxi driver met an accident due to the negligence and
imprudence of a bus driver, the latter died due to the said accident, is the taxi
driver Table? The answer is YES. though ho took extra care. The theory here is,
when you violate the law, you are liable, but in here, the bus driver is the one
label, but still the taxi driver has liability on the matter.

Understanding Crime
Inside and out of the country, municipality, barangay and family. crime is prevalent and
ubiquitous. Sometimes, the non- acceptance of the nature and how it is being done
create another crime environment. Educated and uneducated alike, known and
prominent personalities or not, Christian and non- Christians, healthy and the
gruesome, poor and wealthy are all possible crime suspects and victims. With this, it is
imperative therefore to recognize the sources and origins of crime.
In the legal point of view, crime is an act committed or omitted in violation of public
law, forbidding or commanding it, while in its common understanding, crime is a
violation of the norms or agreement of the society. The effect can be destructive or even
fatal
Some Of The Crime Causes Or Sources Are:
1. Misunderstanding of family members
2. Materialism/people who focus on material things rather than blood relation
3. Position/designation conscious
4. Greedy of Power and Authority
5. Lifestyle (needs vs wants)
6. Recognition
Theories that Further Explain the Commission of Crimes

The Four Choice Theories of Crime

What Causes Criminal Behavior?
The study and practice of criminology delves into crime causation and factors that
contribute to offender criminality. This means considering four basic theories namely:
Rational Choice. Sociological Positivism, Biological Positivism and Psychological
Positivism. The theories rely on logic to explain why a person commits a crime and
whether the criminal act is the result of a rational decision, internal predisposition or
external aspects. The law and judicial system is structured around use of these
theories. Please read the following theories below;

1) Rational Cause
Rational Cause or "Choice Theory" developed by 18th century Italian philosopher and
politician, Cesare Becaria, is considered the classical school of thought and depicts
criminals as deviants. The basis of the theory explains offender motivation to commit a
crime as a purposeful decision with intent of personal gain in the form of ego-boosting
Incentives such as money, power, status or learning by means of using the "free-will”.
Rational Cause Theory purports that the offender makes a choice to commit a criminal
act upon examining options, consequences and benefits or the "pain and pleasure". The
offender then plans the crime by consciously picking the type of crime, location of the
crime and target of the crime, and executes the crime with awareness that it is wrong
and control to choose otherwise.

2) Sociological Positivism
Sociological Positivism, popularized by statisticians Lambert Adolphe Jacques
Quetelet and Andre-Michel Guerry In the 1800s, examines relationships between
societal influences and crime Sociological theory Is driven by a study of social
structures within an offender's environment such as family, peer groups, socioeconomic
status education level and subculture that led to his criminality. The theory focuses on
how an offender conforms to his surroundings, becoming a product of his environment
and social learning. This concept proposes that criminality is Inevitable under
circumstances such as ongoing exposure to social disorganization in a criminal culture,
stigmatization, strain including poverty, a break-down in family or moral values and
family or community-justified crime.
 Anomie is a sociological term meaning "personal feeling of a lack of norms;
normlessness". It describes the breakdown of social norms and values. It was
popularized by French sociologist Emile Durkheim in his influential book Suicide
(1897). Durkheim borrowed the word from French philosopher Jean-Marie
Guyou,
 For Durkheim, anomie arises more generally from a mismatch between
personal or group standards and wider social standards, or from the lack of a
social ethic, which produces moral deregulation and an absence of legitimate
aspirations.

The Societal Factors Are;

 Low levels of education
 Poverty, and
 Negative subculture influences
 Individual's environment or surrounding social or cultural structure
These could predispose that individual can connect and dwell into crime.
This ground seeks to associate crime statistics to sociological and profitable issues,
such as population density, ethnographic diversity, distribution of wealth and
employment. Rejecting the classical notion that crime is a consequence of individual
and predetermined decision making, sociological positivism investigates social
influences in relation to susceptibly for criminal behavior. Within this representation,
crime and deviant activity are seen as normal, adaptive responses to the structural and
sociological organizational and coercive factors of society.
Biological positivism claims that criminal behavior is the result of some chemical
imbalance within the brain or abnormalities. Traditional biological theories suggest that
criminal behaviour is a result of a defect within the individual. It can be shown below
how this theory can be explained.

4) Psychological Positivism
Psychological Positivism, theorized by French criminologist Alexander Lacassagne in
the 1800s. proposes that the causation of criminality is rooted in offender mental illness
or personality disorders. Examples include schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder.
psychopathic personality, antisocial personality disorder depression and neuroticism.
Disorders may be the result of sociological or biological factors such as physical or
sexual abuse, parental criminology and intelligence level. Psychological Positivism
analyzes criminality as the result of an internal and unavoidable cause versus that of a
controlled decision.
Psychological positivists propose that people commit crime because of internal
psychological factors over which they have little or no control. There is a criminal
personality (Burke, 2009) and that there are certain internal factors which motivate and
drive an individual to become a criminal.

Effects
Popularization of conflict theories of criminal justice has various effects. One effect
amongst the general public may be, ironically, to exacerbate racial tensions. Publication
of reports pointing out the disproportionality of incarceration of certain races can result
in public and media backlash asserting that the data is due to certain races having a
greater inclination for taking part in criminal activities, rather than due to other races use
of criminal laws to affect racial oppression.
Causes
o Nationality
o Religion
o Position
o Accomplishments
o Power
o Injustices
o Inequality

Function
Conflict Theories function as one means of explaining the overarching philosophies
behind different criminal justice policies and systems. As a branch of social philosophy,
criminal justice conflict theories do not dictate what is right or wrong, or declare which
system of criminal justice is superior. Rather, conflict theories are one mode of
describing and analyzing the intentions and impacts of different criminal justice systems
and events. For example, a normative analysis of the death penalty might look at costs,
deterrence effects and systemic safeguards against improper convictions to describe
whether the death penalty works to stop crime.
Writing in the mid-1800s, Karl Marx developed an economic conflict theory applicable to
criminal justice as well as many other social institutions, positing that industrialization
led to excess population, which was then socially and politically oppressed by those
who benefited from the developing capitalist system.
Max Weber, writing at the turn of the 20th century, viewed human culture as more
beneficent than Marx did, viewing the conflicts underlying criminal justice as competing
values rather than intentional oppression. George Simmel, at around the same time as
Weber, looked at concepts of crime arising from clashes in cultural groups newly
brought into contact with one another by increasing immigration patterns.

Marxist Feminism - Marxist Feminism refers to a particular feminist theory focusing on

the ways in which women are oppressed through capitalist economic practices and the
system of private property.

Radical Feminism - is a perspective within feminism that calls for a radical reordering
of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts
Radical feminists view society as fundamentally a patriarchy in which men dominate
and oppress women.

Dual-System Feminism - A synthesis of Marxists and Radical Feminist Theory,

therefore neither Capitalism nor Patriarchy take a position of importance as we're in a
capitalist-patriarchal society where both systems work together.

Overvalued Beliefs
Our own beliefs Influence our values, attitudes, and perceptions. We tend to see what
we believe.
Beliefs persevere especially when we find a reason for their validity, even if there are
evidence to show that they are false
Over valued beliefs are irrational but have been buried deep in the subconscious and
accepted as true by the individual.
Causes:
o Based on long overdue practices
o Handed down tradition
o Unfathomable faith
The Brain and Crime
Neurotransmitters are chemical compounds that influence or activate brain functions.
Studies have shown that abnormal levels of these chemicals are associated with
aggression. Il has been reported by several researchers that there is an inverse
correlation between serotonin concentrates in the blood and impulsive or Suicidal
behavior.
Causes:
o Addiction to drugs and other chemicals
o Food intake effect
o Other vices

Conflict Theory
Conflict theory is a field of sociology that focuses on competition and the dynamics of
conflicting interests between different social groups as the fundamental force
underpinning culture and politics. Conflict theories of criminal justice look at criminal law
as a means by which more prosperous and powerful social groups exercise control and
containment over socially disadvantaged groups.
While crimes and punishments have been prescribed by social systems since pre-
Biblical times, criminology as a social institution involving police. courts and jails, is a
modern development with seeds of development in the eighteenth century and
significant growth in the nineteenth century through the present day. Writing in the mid-
1800s, Karl Marx.

Marxist Theory
Marxism is a method of socioeconomic analysis that views class relations and social
conflict using a materialist interpretation of historical development and takes a
dialectical view of social transformation. It originates from the works of 19th-century
German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Marxist criminology is one of the schools of criminology. If parallels the work of the
structural functionalism school which focuses on what produces stability and continuity
in society but, unlike the functionalists, it adopts a predefined political philosophy.
Victimology
What Is Victimology
It is a subfield of criminology that deals purely on determining the factors that causes of
victimization and the contributory role of the victim to his own victimization.
NOTE: Victimization may be conscious or unconscious.

Who Is Victim
Generally, victims refers to those person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of crime,
accident or natural disasters or one who suffers the consequences of the event therein.
Victim May Be Categorized Based On Their Involvement
1. Primary victim
2. Secondary victim
3. Indirect victim/ Third party victim

1. Primary Victim
 A primary victim served is a person who is directly victimized by a crime and
receives at least one of the services listed on the quarterly statistical report form
(but not solely Information & Referral) or sheltering.
2. Secondary Victim
 Secondary victim means the victim's spouse, children, parents, and siblings, and
any person who resides in the victim's household at the time of the crime or at
the time of the discovery of the crime. "Secondary victim" does not include
persons who are the survivors of a victim who dies as a result of a crime.
3. Indirect Victim/Third Party Victim
 Indirect victims are defined as the family member of a person who died or who is
incompetent or incapacitated. The most common example of a family member
who could qualify as an indirect victim is the undocumented parent of a U.S.
citizen minor child who has been a victim of a serious crime.

Victims Profile (Common Crime Victims)

1. The young
2. Females
3. Old
4. Immigrants
5. Mentally defective
6. The acquisitive
7. Dull normal
8. Minorities
9. Wanton
10. The heartbroken
11. Tormentor
12. Depressed
13. The blocked and exempted

Young People
 Immature, under adult supervision, lack physical strength and lack the mental
and emotional maturity to recognize victimization
Females
 Lack of physical strength
Elderly
 Lack of physical strength
Immigrants
 Cannot understand language or the threat of deportation makes them vulnerable
Mentally Defective
 Can be taken advantage of easily
Acquisitive
 Greedy can be targeted by scammers who would take advantage of their desire
for financial gain.
Dull Normals
 Reasonably intelligent people who are naive or vulnerable in some way. These
people are easily deceived. Or it refers to having barely "below average" mental
abilities.
Minorities
 Marginalized in society, so vulnerable to victimization.
Heartbroken
 Often prone to victimization by intimate partners. They desire to be with
someone at any cost. They are susceptible to manipulation.
Tormentors
 Primary abusers in relationships become victims when the one being abused
turns on them.
Depressed
 Gullible, easily swayed, and not vigilant.
Blocked, exempted, and fighting victims
 Enter situations in which they are taken advantage such as blackmail.

Victim Categories
Background:
Categorizing victims is essential in order to know the niche of the investigation and in
the origin where to start the making of reports necessary to the probe of the case. On
the other hand, the victims are by-products of heredity, environment, traditions and
culture and their genes. This is also attributed to their experiences as perpetrators and
victims prior to their involvement as captive target of any crime. These categories are
divided into the following:

1. Primary Victims - are persons who directly sustained injuries and even the
immediate caused of his/her death as a result of the violence inflicted against them.
Furthermore, the outcome is the product of direct involvement of the victim towards his
opponent.
This can be supplemented with the examples such as;
"My head was wounded when my enemy hit me with a hard object".
"I sustained serious injuries when my vehicle jolted with a car in the road"..
"I suffered severe leg bone damage due to incendiary fire in the village".
2. Secondary Victim - refers to a person who suffers panic shock or attack without
himself exposed to the actual danger or encounter in a catastrophe.
o These may occur when the following are observed:
 Eye-witness of an outrageous event showing the immediate effect.
 There is sudden assault in the nervous system
 Nervous breakdown is caused by witnessing an actual death of other person
o A parent who is considered as a secondary victim suffers from:
 Anxiety - when seeing her child maltreated by another
 Depression - when witnessing her child being assaulted by a stranger
 Frustration - when she entrusted her child to her relative but abused by the latter.
Background
Crime Causation is a daunting and complex field. It is a manner of understanding the
WHYS and the HOWS in all its angles. For centuries, philosophers have pondered the
meaning of the concept of cause as it pertains to human behavior. Increasingly.
research suggests that individuals are unaware of the causes of other people's
behaviors as well as the causes of much of their own conduct.
Three (3) Theoretical Explanations of Crime Causation
Criminology recognizes three groups of theories.
1. Biological Theories. Made the common norms that physical traits can lead an
individual to criminal activities. Generally speaking, it was thought that physical
attributes were passed down from parent to child. It was thought that the risk of
committing crimes also passed down from parents.
The early biological theories of crime were focused mainly on heredity of crime,
that a child inherited his behavior from his parents.

2. Sociological Theories. This entry focuses on the three major Sociological

theories of crime and delinquency: strain, social learning, and control theories. It
then briefly describes several other important theories of crime, most of which
represent elaborations of these three theories.
All of the theories that are described explain crime in terms of the social
environment, including the family, school, employment, group associate,
workplace, community, and society.
These theories, however, differ from one another in several ways: they focus on
somewhat different features of the social environment, they offer different
accounts of why the social environment causes crime, and some focus on
explaining individual differences in crime while others attempt to explain group
differences in crime (e.g.. why some communities have higher crime rates than
other communities).
 3. Psychological Theories. This came to the existence around 1913. and their
primary concern was to find a supporting link between crime and low intelligence
(IQ).
Three Different Types Of Criminological Theories Attempted To Answer What
Causes The Existence Of Crimes;

Crime Causation

Critical Theories Explanation

Biological Theories of Sociological Theories Psychological Theories
Critical theoriesCrime
also Causation of Crime
try to explain group Causation
differences of Crime
in crime rates Causation
in terms of the larger
social environment: some focus on class differences, some on gender differences, and
some on societal differences in crime. Several versions of critical theory exist, but all
explain crime causation in terms of group differences in power. The manner of
execution and performance of the offenders differ based on their goals and reasons in
doing and committing an offense.
Manner of execution comes in when:
1. The Situation is conducive to crime.
Understanding the elements of crime must be reiterated in order to arrive in the
situation of considering the aspects and concepts of how crime is encourage. It is
argued that crime occurrence is most likely when motivated offenders come
together with attractive targets in the absence of capable guardians. Attractive
targets are visible, accessible and open, valuable, and easy to move items. The
police may function as capable guardians, but it is more common for ordinary
people to play this role-like family members, neighbors, and teachers.
According to this theory, the supply of suitable targets and the presence of
capable guardians are a function of our everyday or "routine" activities-like
attending school, going to work, and socializing with friends. The pattern is
observed. Potential to crime:
 Banks with no security officers
 Jewelry shops with open shelves
 Commercial establishments without CCTV
2. The Situation is Conducive for the Target
In a situation where the vulnerable victim is open and unaware that an attracted
perpetrator is going to make an attack it's either to the person himself or the
property. It is essential to note that properties with high value must be protected
 and persons who are into sensitive position whose lives are endanger must be
given an extra ordinary security. Potential as target:
 Wearing ostentatious jewelries in open public places
 Carrying huge amount of money obviously seen anytime
 Prominent personalities walking alone
3. The Instrumentalities are Available
Simple to grave offenses reported by the police officers are usually on the
account of using an instrument in the attempt to perpetrate any target. Even if the
incident is orchestrated by the culprit. These instrumentalities are made
accessible by the offender because of their desire to be successful in their plans
to gain for profit and to silent the victim. Potential Instruments Used:
 Presence of Loose Firearms
 Availability of drugs in the market
 Deadly weapon not check in department stores