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Reciprocal Effects of Victimization and Routine Activities

NCJ Number
235192
Journal
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2011 Pages: 125-149
Author(s)
Margit Averdijk
Date Published
June 2011
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This article examines the reciprocal effects of victimization and routine activities.
Abstract
Although there is much research on the relationship between routine activities and victimization, there is little knowledge about the reciprocal effects of victimization and routine activities. The current paper is framed within the Once Bitten Twice Shy perspective proposed by Hindelang et al. (Victims of personal crime: an empirical foundation for a theory of personal victimization. Ballinger, Cambridge, 1978) which argues that victimization decreases risky routine activities and that this in turn decreases the risk of victimization. The current paper tests these propositions by using longitudinal data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, which allows us to tease out victimization and routine activities over time. Both violent and household victimization are examined. Variables pertaining to how often respondents go out for shopping, how often they go away at night and whether they have household devices are used as indicators for routine activities. Results indicate that the reciprocal effects of victimization and routine activities are limited. Consequences for routine activities theory are discussed. (Published Abstract)