The Consequences of Experiencing Both Victimization and Offending: Results from a Survey of Young People in Venezuela

• In Event: ISRD PANEL 3: Rates of victimization, offenses and the overlap between these two phenomena

Abstract

Studies repeatedly show that some young people report experiences of being both a victim and an offender, not necessarily for the same type of crime. In any sample that is taken, these victim-offenders sit alongside victims-only, offenders-only and the uninvolved and may show significant differences from them. For example, victim-offenders may show the highest rates of psychological problems such as depression and suicidal ideation, or behavioural problems such as substance use. Such differences have both theoretical and practical implications. Our study explores experiences of victimization-offending during the previous twelve months among a sample of approximately 1,800 young people aged 13-17 in Venezuela who took part in the ISRD-4 survey. We provide various estimates of the prevalence of victimization-offending, depending on the types of crime considered and the method of counting category membership. We also compare victim-offenders with other groups in the sample in terms of selected outcomes relating to family and school.

Authors

• Neelie Pérez Santiago, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Venezuela

• Juan Antonio Rodríguez, Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela

• Laura María Bastidas Zambrano, Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela

• Chris Birkbeck, Salford University