Stability and change in victimization inequality in Scotland, 2008-09 to 2019-20

• In Event: Trends in victimization

Abstract

Many studies have shown that the burden of victimization is not equally shared across society. A number of studies have also identified a marked drop in aggregate crime rates in Western Europe and the USA since the 1990s, raising the question of whether inequality in victimization has increased or decreased over the course of the crime drop. We add to the literature examining change in victimization over the course of the crime drop by analysing victimization trends between 2008/09-2019/20 in the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey.

We describe victimization trends across multiple dimensions of inequality, including protected characteristics and socio-demographic characteristics. Our results show a complex picture of changing victimization rates across aspects of inequality. Notably, we see pronounced falls in victimization amongst young people, mirroring falls in offending rates, but increasing victimization inequality between those experiencing financial hardship and those with financial stability.

We will discuss the implications of these results for policy responses to victimization, and for theoretical understandings of the crime drop.

Authors

• Ben Matthews, University of Stirling

• Susan McVie, University of Edinburgh

• Paul Norris, University of Edinburgh