Burglary and the Ideal Victim

1. Burglary and the Ideal Victim Rob Mawby, Visiting Professor, University of Wales, Newport

2. Outline • The concept of the ideal victim • The place of burglary in the emergence of victim services and crime reduction policy in the UK • The rise and rise of the burglary victim as the ideal victim in the late 20 century • The place of burglary in victim services and crime reduction policy in the UK today • The rise and fall of the burglary victim as the ideal victim in the 21 century • Conclusion: the demise of the burglary victim

3. The concept of the ideal victim • Christie’s ‘ideal victim...’ • Using the concept to explain subsequent action by the police and courts • Using the concept to explain the focus in the UK on helping victims and potential victims of burglary

4. The place of burglary ... • Helping victims • The focus of Victim Support on burglary • Preventing crime • Neighbourhood Watch • Target Hardening

5. The rise and rise of the burglary victim... • The ideal crime • Common • ( Fairly) high impact • Policy fit • The ideal victim • Blameless • Vulnerable • Cooperative • The ideal offender • Unknown ‘stranger’

6. The place of burglary in victim services and crime reduction in the UK today • Helping victims • The broader focus of Victim Support • Preventing crime • Neighbourhood Watch stagnating • Target Hardening treading water

7. The rise and fall of the burglary victim... • The not so ideal crime • Less common • Fairly high impact but others more • Policy less fitting • The not so ideal victim • Still blameless? • Less vulnerable than many • Not alwayscooperative • The not so ideal offender • Renewed focus on known ‘stranger’

8. Conclusion: the demise of the burglary victim • UK in harmony with the rest of the world • And out of harmony with the burglary victim...