Counseling Chapter 2 Irm You Reach Out Two Witnesses Who Observed The Domestic Violence Incident

Unlock access to all the studying documents.

View Full Document

IRM 2-17

You reach out to two witnesses who observed the domestic violence incident between the Edgars.

The first is Kaylin Cunningham. Although initially reluctant to speak about the incident, as she

feels tremendously guilty for not “doing something” when the assault took place, she meets with

you once you explain to her that you are collecting information for research purposes as part of a

mayoral initiative to potentially make recommendations for community education.

According to Cunningham, on the day of the assault, she was swimming in the pool when she

overheard the Edgars arguing about their finances, and while it made her feel uncomfortable, she

attempted to look/move away from the Edgars because she felt they were discussing “private

Let’s review two more concepts before you make another decision about this scene.

Question 3

Which of the following terms refers to an intervention by onlookers, and is counted on by some

victimization prevention strategies?

a. capable guardian

b. active Samaritan

c. informed observer

d. concerned bystander

Question 4

IRM 2-18

Which of the following describes why a bystander may be slow or reluctant to become involved, and

explains that an onlooker assumes that someone else will take charge of the situation and take the first

step?

a. diffusion of responsibility

b. audience inhibition

c. refusal of acknowledgement

d. passive obligation

What Would You Do?

After completing the interview with Ms. Cunningham and Mr. McBride, you carefully compile the

information from the interviews along with the content from the case file. What stands out to you

most about the interviews is that both neighbors frequently repeated that they believed calling the

police was not their responsibility. In addition, you observe that both Cunningham and McBride

often downplayed the severity of the incident and what they witnessed.

You think that the best information that can be gleaned from this scenario is that education needs

to be provided about the severity of domestic violence situations and how the victims of such crimes

rarely seek help on their own. You must now make a decision about what you should do with the

information you collected.

What would you do?

a. You make a recommendation to the mayor to develop a program aimed at educating community

members about the importance of calling 911 if they believe someone may be in danger. You believe that

Summary A

IRM 2-19

The data you compiled through the use of available funding, while limited, assists with developing a

community outreach program aimed at targeting local citizens. Along with several local community

leaders as well as the support of the mayor, you help disseminate the important message of calling

911 if someone is in danger. The program incorporates the story of first responders and witnesses

from the event involving the Edgars and is well received by local citizens.

Summary B

The mayor agrees that given the number of variables present in each case, a further investigation of

the bystander effect in your community is warranted. You apply for and are awarded additional

funding which you use to investigate other cases in your jurisdiction that contain evidence of the

bystander effect. Eventually, you notice a recurring theme–that local citizens often hesitate to call

911 when they witness an adult in immediate danger (your research shows you this is not the case

for other scenarios, such as those involving children). You present your additional findings to the

mayor. Along with several local community leaders you help disseminate the important message of

calling 911 if an adult is in danger. The program educates community members about the

reluctance of adult victims to report victimization to police due to shame or fear of retribution from

the offender. The program incorporates the story of first responders and witnesses from the event

involving the Edgars and educates citizens about the sometimes tragic results of these cases. The

program is well received by local citizens.

Chapter 2 Review

1. During the colonial era, victim-oriented justice prevailed. Characteristics of this type of justice can be

found in each of the following statements EXCEPT __________.

a. victims would conduct their own investigations

b. victims would pay for warrants to have sheriffs make arrests

c. convicted offenders would be forced to repay the victim up to three times the worth of the goods they

stole or damaged

d. police officers would consult with the victim concerning whether the offender should be arrested or just

removed from the scene

IRM 2-20

d. Correct. Police forces had not been established yet in the colonial era. Thus victims, not police officers,

investigated crimes and pursued the offenders. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [The Discovery, Decline, and

Rediscovery of Crime Victims]

2. All of the following can be considered as byproducts of the reconceptualization of crimes as hostile

acts against the authority of the government EXCEPT the __________.

a. creation of laws forbidding what are now called street crimes

b. creation of the civil court

c. creation of tort laws

d. use of the plea negotiation

3. Which of the following significant events did not occur around the time of the shift away from a

victim-oriented justice system?

a. The American Revolution

b. English common law

c. The adoption of the Constitution

d. The adoption of the Bill of Rights

IRM 2-21

rights of the masses. LO1, Bloom’s: Remember [The Discovery, Decline, and Rediscovery of Crime

Victims]

4. Once crimes were reconceptualized as hostile acts against the authority of the government, the role of

the victim was replaced by __________.

a. sheriffs

b. lawyers

c. public prosecutors

d. civil court judges

5. What is considered to be a positive outcome for victims from plea negotiations?

a. Victims do not testify on the witness stand to a jury.

b. Victims are not consulted prior to the finalization of the negotiation.

c. Victims are not notified of the outcome of the negotiation.

d. Plea negotiations result in the conviction of an offender.

IRM 2-22

her of the case resolution. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [The Discovery, Decline, and Rediscovery of

6. Who is the person identified as the “father of victimology”?

a. Edwin Sutherland

b. Hans Von Hentig

c. Benjamin Mendelsohn

d. Marvin Wolfgang

7. Which decade has been tied with the rediscovery of crime victims?

a. 1940s

b. 1960s

c. 1980s

d. 2000s

IRM 2-23

for fair treatment and participation in federal court proceedings, and the National Museum of Crime &

Punishment opens in Washington, D.C. with exhibits that dramatize the plight of victims. LO2, Bloom’s:

Remember [Victimology Contributes to the Rediscovery Process]

8. The concept of exemplary behavior under duress is demonstrated in all of the following EXCEPT

__________.

a. talking one’s way out of a dangerous situation

b. outwitting an assailant

c. begging the offender not to hurt you

d. prevailing against the offender when faced with overwhelming odds

9. A primary motivation for the establishment of the American Society of Victimology in 2003 was to

__________.

a. provide a professional organization for students who are obtaining degrees in victim studies

b. encourage collaboration between academicians, researchers, and practitioners

c. provide a central location for documents that trace the history of the field of victimology

d. provide an easy way to search for information about restitution and compensation programs across

states

10. Because of the negative connotations associated with the term victim, some who have experienced

harm as the result of another’s actions prefer to be called __________.

a. a winner (as in one who wins)

b. a coper (as in one who copes)

c. a survivor (as in one who survives)

d. untraumatized (as in one who is not traumatized)

11. Which research question would a victimologist who is designing a study using the focus of

survivorology be least likely to propose?

a. Which types of telephone fraud lead to the highest financial take for the offenders?

b. What is the corporate philosophy of a company that is able to rebound after experiencing harm from an

external computer hacker?

c. What are the social support networks of successfully married couples who were former victims of child

abuse.

d. What was the relationship between the rape victim and offender, for rape victims who then go on and

volunteer with rape crisis services?

IRM 2-25

survives, but works to make sure other victims do too. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Victimology

Contributes to the Rediscovery Process]

12. Which would be of least interest to a victimologist, who is interested in studying a topic from the

bystanderology focus?

a. Whether the offender will continue with the crime or back down in the presence of onlookers

b. Whether the reactions of others present were helpful or harmful to the victim

c. How long it takes for an onlooker to intervene in a crime incident based on how many others are

present

d. Whether the victim’s fighting back increases his or her odds of survival

13. What does the bystander effect state?

a. As the number of bystanders increases, the likelihood that any particular individual will intervene

decreases.

b. As the number of bystanders decreases, the likelihood that any particular individual will intervene

decreases.

c. As the number of bystanders increases, the likelihood that any particular individual will intervene

increases.

d. It is impossible to determine whether any particular individual will intervene just by looking at the

number of bystanders present.

IRM 2-26

c. Incorrect. If there are a number of people present, each individual would expect someone else to

14. Which statement concerning the Good Samaritan is false?

a. The phrase Good Samaritan can be traced back to biblical times.

b. Neighborhood watch groups are one program based on the philosophy behind the Good Samaritan.

c. Civil laws have been passed to protect Good Samaritans from lawsuit liability.

d. Criminal laws have been passed requiring all individuals to intervene if they witness a violent incident.

15. Which social movement is credited with raising concerns about the plight of victims of street crimes

of violence and theft in the 1960s?

a. Feminist movement

b. Women’s movement

c. Law-and-order movement

d. Civil rights movement

in 1974. LO2, Bloom’s: Remember [Other Groups Propel the Rediscovery Process Forward]

b. Incorrect. In the 1960s, liberal activists and the women’s movement turned their focus to females who

IRM 2-27

to protect the innocent, law-abiding citizen. LO2, Bloom’s: Remember [Other Groups Propel the

16. Which statement is incorrect concerning bias crimes?

a. Bias crimes involve violent and property offenses motivated by hatred of the offender towards a

particular “kind of person.”

b. Another name for bias crimes is hate crimes.

c. Those convicted of a bias crime face stiffer penalties than if the act was not bias motivated.

d. Historically, crimes by blacks against whites, as well as whites against blacks have been taken

seriously and vigorously prosecuted.

17. Social movements have failed to champion the causes of various groups of victims in which way?

a. Setting up dependable support systems for injured parties

b. Fighting against constitutional safeguards and due process guarantees for suspects, arrestees,

defendants, and prisoners

c. Launching awareness campaigns

d. Bringing to light the group’s experiences with police officers

IRM 2-28

18. Which of the following reflects characteristics of anti-victim legislation?

a. Creating new policies and laws that intend to reduce suffering and facilitate recovery by providing

concrete forms of assistance

b. Providing for the services of professionals like doctors, therapists, and lawyers at low cost or free to

those who have been victimized

c. Placing victims’ needs last so other issues can be resolved first

d. Providing preferential treatment to victims of crime due to the violation of the social contract

19. What was the name of the victim whose kidnapping and murder led to the creation of the Sex

Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA)?

a. Jeanne Clery

b. Matthew Shepard

c. Emmett Till

d. Adam Walsh

IRM 2-29

b. Incorrect. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed by

Congress in 2009. The act expands the coverage of the federal government’s hate-crime law, which was

originally passed in 1969. LO2, Bloom’s: Remember [Other Groups Propel the Rediscovery Process

Forward]

c. Incorrect. The Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act went into effect in 2008. The act provides

for a cold case unit within the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen and investigate bias-motivated

murders committed before 1970. LO2, Bloom’s: Remember [Other Groups Propel the Rediscovery

Process Forward]

d. Correct. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, also known as the Sex Offender

Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), was passed by Congress in 2006. The act strengthened sex

offender registration requirements and penalties when children are sexually abused. LO2, Bloom’s:

Remember [Other Groups Propel the Rediscovery Process Forward]

20. Since the 1980s, legislators nationwide have enacted thousands of new laws named after victims.

Which statement reflects a negative outcome from politicians using the media to publicize this new

legislation?

a. Politicians can use the media attention to pursue their own agenda.

b. The strong feelings evoked by the media coverage of the victimization make it difficult for critics to

argue against proposed reforms

c. The publicity surrounding the passage of new legislation may lead to fewer of these particular

victimizations in the future.

d. Media attention concerning the passage of new legislation may inform those particular victims of

available services and programs they had not known about.

21. Which of the following can be considered a positive outcome of the sensationalism found in the media

as they cover cases of victimization?

a. How the media’s right to report the incidents clash with the victim’s right to privacy

b. The voice that has been given to victims to be vocal about how their cases ought to be resolved in court

c. How the selection of the cases to be featured may reflect unconscious biases of those working in the

various media outlets

d. The rule “if it bleeds, it leads”

IRM 2-30

22. Historically, which group of victims has received the LEAST amount of media coverage?

a. Children who have been abused by a parent or guardian

b. Women who have been battered by an intimate partner

c. Good Samaritans who try to break up crimes in progress but wind up injured or killed themselves

d. Females who have suffered date rapes

23. What is the first step in the rediscovery process for a group of crime victims?

a. Raising the public’s consciousness about some type of illegal situation

b. Countering the concerns of critics who oppose the goals of the activists

c. Designing research studies to examine whether the treatment and prevention programs in place have

decreased the problem

d. Designing and implementing projects and programs that can meet the needs of the crime victims

IRM 2-31

24. The rediscovery process for groups of victims will often include opposition. Each of the following

represents global concerns from entities who challenge activist groups who are working toward reform

EXCEPT the __________.

a. charge that the activists might be overestimating the number of people harmed when the actual threat is

much smaller

b. call for research studies that will evaluate the effectiveness of the new reforms

c. question that those who were harmed were totally innocent of any blame in the victimization incident

d. concern that new policies will undermine our constitutional rights

25. The rediscovery campaign waged since the 1980s by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has

been identified as one of the most effective. All of the following actions by the group have led to their

success EXCEPT __________.

a. using a wide range of tactics to mobilize public support

b. having a presence in a wide range of locations where victims and their families may need information

about services and programs that are available

c. lobbying for changes in legislation to crackdown on the behaviors of driving under the influence and

driving while intoxicated

d. working with media outlets to show how drunk drivers are bad people

IRM 2-32

a. Incorrect. Part of their success is they provide a wide range of activities people could choose from for

involvement. These range from candlelight vigils and demonstrations to supporting pledges of responsible

behavior by both children and adults. LO7, Bloom’s: Understand [The Rediscovery Process in Action,

Step by Step]

b. Incorrect. One successful tactic taken by MADD is providing pamphlets containing information about

support and services at such locations as emergency rooms, funeral parlors, and bereavement support

groups. Victims may not know where to turn for help or even what services are available to them and

these pamphlets can provide the answers that are needed. LO7, Bloom’s: Understand [The Rediscovery

Process in Action, Step by Step]

c. Incorrect. MADD’s lobbying efforts have been successful in the increased use of roadblocks to identify

drunk drivers, raising the legal drinking age to 21, and lowering the blood alcohol concentration levels

that define impairment. LO7, Bloom’s: Understand [The Rediscovery Process in Action, Step by Step]

d. Correct. One of the best tactics taken by MADD was to not to focus on the badness of the actor, but

rather to focus on the badness of the act. Additionally, they brought attention to the victim who had been

relegated to the obituary page so that people could see that innocent people were dying and becoming

disabled due to the actions of drunk drivers. LO7, Bloom’s: Understand [The Rediscovery Process in

Action, Step by Step]