NCJ Number
66610
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1980) Pages: 193-201
Date Published
1980
Length
9 pages
Annotation
CONCEPTS FROM VICTIMOLOGY ARE USED TO EXAMINE THE ROLE OF BYSTANDERS WHO WITNESS CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND WAYS THEY MAY BE VICTIMIZED BY CRIMES AS WELL AS TO SUGGEST AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.
Abstract
BYSTANDERS MAY BY HARMED BY DIRECT, PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF THE OFFENSE. THEY MAY BE HIT BY STRAY BULLETS, HELD AS HOSTAGES, OR HARMED BY POLICE IN THEIR EFFORTS TO APPREHEND THE CRIMINAL. THERE IS CURRENTLY SCANT PROVISION FOR COMPENSATION WHERE THE BYSTANDER IS INJURED. BYSTANDERS WHO DELIBERATELY BECOME INVOLVED MAY BE LEGALLY LIABLE FOR DAMAGE THEY CAUSE. A SECOND TYPE OF HARM IS PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM; THIS MAY AFFECT THE BYSTANDER'S ATTITUDES AND EMOTIONS. LONGLASTING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES RESULTING FROM THE TRAUMA OF WITNESSING A CRIME MAY INCLUDE INCREASED FEAR, ANXIETY, PHOBIAS, OR CHANGE IN SELF-CONCEPT. A THIRD KIND OF HARM MAY BE PRODUCED BY THE BYSTANDER'S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. MOST BYSTANDERS ARE CALLED TO GIVE EVIDENCE AS WITNESSES TO THE CRIME. IN ADDITION TO OBJECTIVE COSTS SUCH AS TIME, MONEY, AND INCONVENIENCE, THERE MAY BE SUBJECTIVE COSTS SUCH AS POSSIBLE HUMILIATION DURING A CROSS EXAMINATION OR OTHER EMOTIONS AND REACTIONS. RECENT ARTICLES HAVE DISCUSSED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM'S INDIFFERENCE TO WITNESSES. A RECENT STUDY OF WITNESSES' EXPERIENCES SHOWED THAT WITNESSES FELT GREAT FRUSTRATION WITH THEIR TREATMENT. LONG PERIODS OF WAITING ARE ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF PERCEPTION, RECALL, AND PRESENTATION ALSO HAVE BEEN MINIMALLY STUDIED. IN SOME WAYS, WITNESSES HAVE FEWER RIGHTS THAN DO THE ACCUSED. FURTHER RESEARCH ON ALL THREE TYPES OF POTENTIAL HARM TO BYSTANDERS IS NEEDED. FOOTNOTES WHICH INCLUDE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)