Abstract
This chapter focuses on bringing together aspects of the previouse five to present an integrated analysis of how cultural drivers have combined with what amounts to a new network of policy actors and governance structures exerting influence over the development of victim policy in England & Wales since the advent of the 2010 coalition government. This chapter will be split into four sections. The first will offer some theoretical discussion to help conceptualise the process whereby certain types of victims appear to be achieving greater cultural recognition in the modern social (and media) context: acquiring what this chapter will call “victim capital”. The second section will examine the process by which said capital has been accrued by specific types of victims and victimisations, with a particular focus on the cultural drivers behind this phenomenon. The chapter will then turn to examine specifically the contemporary policy network of influencing actors and organisations which now feed into related criminal justice reform, again drawing on the cultural context discussed previously. The chapter will then conclude with some observations concerning the place of “evidence” in criminal justice policy-making in the light of the forgoing analysis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Notes
- 1.
The term fell out of fashion, although has appeared in more recent literature (Davis 2007).
- 2.
See pp. 17, and 57 of this volume.
- 3.
Enacted through the Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act 1994.
- 4.
See p. 57 of this volume.
- 5.
See pp. 201 of this volume.
- 6.
As opposed to “victimogogic capital”.
- 7.
See p. 58 of this volume.
- 8.
On which see p. 22 of this volume.
- 9.
See p. 176 of this volume.
- 10.
See p. 145 of this volume.
- 11.
In reality there are few grounds to believe the case has set any binding legal precedents or thereby changed the existing law in any way.
- 12.
See p. 17 of this volume.
- 13.
[2016] EWHC 2768 (Admin).
- 14.
See pp. 33 and 34 of this volume.
- 15.
See p. 34 of this volume.
- 16.
In which the perpetrator drove a car onto the pavement on Westminster Bridge outside the Houses of Parliament, killing four people and then stabbing and killing a police officer stationed at Parliament.
- 17.
The injunction on publication of his name originally ordered by the Court expired in August 2009.
- 18.
Or at least certain components of it, see p. 265 of this volume.
- 19.
See p. 69 of this volume.
- 20.
See p. 180 of this volume.
- 21.
See p. 19 of this volume.
- 22.
If indeed it is in any way meaningful to seperate “social media” from dedicated “news media” in the twenty-first century.
References
Amir, M. (1971). Patterns in Forcible Rape. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Ashworth, A. (2000). Victims’ Rights, Defendants’ Rights and Criminal Procedure. In A. Crawford & J. Goodey (Eds.), Integrating a Victim Perspective Within Criminal Justice: International Debates (pp. 185–204). Aldershot: Ashgate Dartmouth.
Avalos, L. (2016). Prosecuting Victims While Rapists Run Free: The Consequences of Police Failure to Investigate Sex Crimes in Britain and the United States. Michigan Journal of Gender & Law, 23(1), 1–64.
Bakshy, E., Messing, S., & Adamic, L. (2015). Exposure to Ideologically Diverse News and Opinion on Facebook. Science, 348(6239), 1130–1132.
Baverstock, J. (2016). Process Evaluation of Pre-recorded Cross-Examination Pilot (Section 28). London: Ministry of Justice.
BBC. (2006). Countdown to Killing [online]. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/4779602.stm. Accessed 02 June 2017.
BBC. (2015). Rotherham Child Abuse: The Background to the Scandal [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-28934963. Accessed 01 June 2017.
BBC. (2016). Racist Remarks Claims ‘False’, Says Dame Lowell Goddard [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37653003. Accessed 02 June 2017.
BBC. (2017a). London Attack: Six Killed in Vehicle and Stabbing Incidents [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40146916. Accessed 04 July 2017.
BBC. (2017b). Madeleine McCann: Parents Mark 10 Years Since Daughter Went Missing [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39757287. Accessed 01 June 2017.
BBC. (2017c). Retiring Judge Lindsey Kushner Issues Drunk Women Rape Warning [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-39233617. Accessed 01 May 2017.
Beck, U. (1992). Risk Society Towards a New Modernity. London: Sage.
Bourdieu, P. (1986). The Forms of Capital. In J. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (pp. 241–258). New York: Greenwood.
Bradford, L. (2016). My Family Was Traumatised First by a Murder, then by the TV Serialisation. The Guardian [online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/02/the-secret-my-family-traumatised-murder-tv-drama-bereaved. Accessed 25 May 2017.
Brennan, M. (2017). Closure for the 96? Sudden Death, Traumatic Grief and the New Hillsborough Inquests. In N. Thompson, G. Cox, & R. Stevenson (Eds.), Handbook of Traumatic Loss: A Guide to Theory and Practice (pp. 233–252). Abingdon: Routledge.
Care Quality Commission. (2009). Review of the Involvement and Action Taken by Health Bodies in Relation to the Case of Baby P. London: Care Quality Commission.
Casey, L. (2011). Annual Report 2010–2011 Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses. London: Office of the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses.
Casey, L. (2015). Report of Inspection of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. London: Department for Communities and Local Government.
Christie, N. (1986). The Ideal Victim. In E. Fattah (Ed.), From Crime Policy to Victim Policy (pp. 17–30). Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Corbett, S. (2016). The Social Consequences of Brexit for the UK and Europe: Euroscepticism, Populism, Nationalism, and Societal Division. The International Journal of Social Quality, 6(1), 11–31.
Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales. (2017). Open Letter to Harriet Harman MP [online]. Available at: https://www.solicitorsjournal.com/sites/default/files/CLSA%20CBA%20Open%20letter%20to%20Harriet%20Harman%20MP.pdf. Accessed 01 June 2017.
Davis, R. (2007). Domestic Violence: Intervention, Prevention, Policies, and Solutions. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Dearden, L. (2017). Theresa May Speech in Full: Prime Minister Says London Terror Attack Suspect ‘Tried to Silence Our Democracy’. Independent [online]. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/theresa-may-london-terror-attack-speech-in-full-suspect-british-born-silence-democracy-mi5-a7645491.html. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Duggan, M., & Heap, V. (2014). Administrating Victimization the Politics of Anti-Social Behaviour and Hate Crime Policy. London: Palgrave.
Durham, R., Lawson, R., Lord, A., & Baird, D. V. (2016). Seeing Is Believing: The Northumbria Court Observation Panel Report on 30 Rape Trials 2015–2016. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria.
Erez, E. (1999, July). Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Victim? Victim Impact Statements as Victim Empowerment and Enforcement of Justice. Criminal Law Review, 1: 545–556.
Evans, M. (2015a). Judge Brands Rape Victim ‘Foolish’ for Drinking Too Much. The Telegraph [online]. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11411745/Judge-brands-rape-victim-foolish-for-drinking-too-much.html. Accessed 01 June 2017.
Evans, M. (2015b). Rotherham Council’s Leadership Resigns Following Damning Child Sex Abuse Report. The Telegraph [online]. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11390001/Rotherham-child-sex-abuse-scandal-council-not-fit-for-purpose.html. Accessed 01 June 2017.
Ferrell, J. (2005). Crime and Culture. In S. Hale, K. Hayward, A. Wahidin, & E. Wincup (Eds.), Criminology (pp. 139–156). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Fuchs, C. (2017). Social Media: A Critical Introduction. London: Sage.
Furedi, F. (2002). Culture of Fear. London: Continuum.
Furedi, F. (2005). Terrorism and the Politics of Fear. In S. Hale, K. Hayward, A. Wahidin, & E. Wincup (Eds.), Criminology (pp. 307–322). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Furedi, F. (2008). Fear and Security: A Vulnerability-Led Policy Response. Social Policy and Administration, 42(6), 645–661.
Gallagher, I. (2016). Traumatised British Paris Hostage Who Hid for Three Hours in Bataclan Is Refused Help and Told ‘You Are Not a Victim of a Terror Attack’. MailOnline [online]. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3403054/Traumatised-British-Paris-hostage-hid-three-hours-Bataclan-refused-help-told-not-victim-terror-attack.html. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Gibson, C. (2016). How a 7-Year-Old Aleppo Girl on Twitter Became Our Era’s Anne Frank. The Washington Post [online]. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-a-7-year-old-aleppo-girl-on-twitter-became-our-eras-anne-frank/2016/12/06/b474af5c-bb09-11e6-91ee-1adddfe36cbe_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.65779455bbc0. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Giddens, A. (1990). The Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Green, D. (2006). We’re (Nearly) All Victims Now! London: CIViTAS.
Hall, M. (2009). Victims of Crime: Policy and Practice in Criminal Justice. Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
Hickman, J. (2004). Playing Games and Cheating: Fairness in the Criminal Justice System. In E. Cape (Ed.), Reconcilable Rights? Analysing the Tension Between Victims and Defendants (pp. 50–64). London: Legal Action Group.
Home Office. (2005). Rebuilding Lives: Supporting Victims of Crime. London: The Stationery Office.
Horrie, C., & Chippindale, P. (2013). Stick It Up Your Punter!: The Uncut Story of the Sun Newspaper. London: Faber & Faber.
Howes, S. (2017). Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate Turns into Giant Union Jack in Stunning Show of Solidarity with London After Terror Attack. The Mirror [online]. Available at: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/berlins-brandenburg-gate-turns-giant-10086897. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Hundal, S. (2017). No Wonder the Far-Right Was So Quick to Capitalise on the Westminster Terror Attack – It Relies on Atrocities for Support. Independent [online]. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/westminster-terror-attack-far-right-capitalise-islamist-extremism-white-nationalism-clash-of-a7645426.html. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Independent. (2017a). Rape Victim Says Judge Was Right to Say She Put Herself in Danger by Being Drunk [online]. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/rape-victim-megan-clark-manchester-drunk-danger-judge-judge-lindsey-kushner-crown-court-responsible-a7653341.html. Accessed 01 June 2017.
Independent. (2017b). Thanks for the Advice on Rape Culture, Ched Evans, but Isn’t It Time We Started Prioritising Men’s Safety Instead? [online]. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/rape-culture-ched-evans-cleared-advice-false-accusations-a7745331.html. Accessed 01 July 2016.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. (2017). Investigating the Extent to Which Institutions Have Failed to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse [online]. Available at: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Jones, R. (2014). The Story of Baby P: Setting the Record Straight. London: Policy Press.
Kassam, A. (2017). Canada Judge Resigns Over ‘Keep Your Knees Together’ Comment in Rape Trial. The Guardian [online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/10/canada-judge-resigns-keep-your-knees-together-comment-rape-trial. Accessed 01 June 2017.
Lees, S. (2002). Carnal Knowledge: Rape on Trial (2nd ed.). London: Women’s Press.
Malnick, E., & Brooks-Pollock, T. (2014). Jeremy Hunt Apologises for Jimmy Savile’s ‘Sickening’ Abuse in Hospitals. The Telegraph [online]. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/10928753/Jeremy-Hunt-apologises-for-Jimmy-Saviles-sickening-abuse-in-hospitals.html. Accessed 23 May 2017.
Mance. (2016). BBC Condemned for ‘Serious Failings’ over Jimmy Savile. Financial Times [online]. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/71e70c96-dba5-11e5-9ba8-3abc1e7247e4. Accessed 25 May 2017.
Martin, G., & Bray, R. (2013). Discolouring Democracy? Policing, Sensitive Evidence, and Contentious Deaths in the United Kingdom. Journal of Law and Society, 40(4), 624–656.
McGarry, R., & Walklate, S. (2015). Victims: Trauma, Testimony and Justice. Abingdon: Routledge.
Mills, J. (2017). How to Identify Psychological Trauma After the Manchester Attack. The Metro [online]. Available from: http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/25/how-to-identify-psychological-trauma-after-the-manchester-attack-6660640/. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Mindock, C. (2017). Bill Cosby: Judge Declares Mistrial After Jury Says It Is ‘Hopelessly Deadlocked’ in Sexual Assault Case. Independent [online]. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bill-cosby-trial-latest-judge-mistrial-norristown-pennsylvania-jury-deadlocked-a7795066.html. Accessed 20 June 2017.
Ministry of Justice. (2012a). Getting It Right for Victims and Witnesses. London: Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice. (2012b). The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. London: Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice. (2017). Greater Protection for Rape Victims and Children at Risk of Grooming. Press Release of 19th March. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/greater-protection-for-rape-victims-and-children-at-risk-of-grooming. Accessed 01 July 2017.
Mortley, N. (2017). Terrifying Video Shows Chaos and Panic Inside Arena During Manchester Attack. Metro [online]. Available at: http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/23/terrifying-video-shows-chaos-and-panic-inside-arena-during-manchester-attack-6654544/. Accessed 04 June 2017.
Mythen, G. (2007). Cultural Victimology: Are We All Victims Now? In S. Walklate (Ed.), Handbook of Victims and Victimology (pp. 464–483). Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
Mythen, G., & McGowan, W. (2017). Cultural Victimology Revisited Synergies of Risk, Fear and Resilience. In S. Walklate (Ed.), Handbook of Victims and Victimology (2nd ed., pp. 365–378). Abingdon: Routledge.
Newlove, B. H. (2015). The Silenced Victim: A Review of the Victim Personal Statement. London: Office of the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses.
Payne, S. (2009). Rape: The Victim Experience Review. London: Home Office.
Phipps, C. (2016). British Newspapers React to Judges’ Brexit Ruling: ‘Enemies of the People’. The Guardian [online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/nov/04/enemies-of-the-people-british-newspapers-react-judges-brexit-ruling. Accessed 01 June 2017.
Press Association. (2017). National Child Sex Abuse Inquiry Not Fit for Purpose, Says Victim Group. EveningExpress [online]. Available at: https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/pipe/news/uk/national-child-sex-abuse-inquiry-not-fit-for-purpose-says-victim-group/. Accessed 19 June 2017.
Prime Minister’s Office. (2017). The Queen’s Speech 2017: Background Notes [online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/620838/Queens_speech_2017_background_notes.pdf. Accessed 21 June 2017.
Rawlinson, K. (2017). Judge Accused of Victim-Blaming in Comments on Rape Case. The Guardian [online]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/10/judge-accused-of-victim-blaming-during-sentencing-comments-in-case. Accessed 01 May 2017.
Riddell, M. (2017). ‘Shock Is the Only Thing That Keeps You Going’: Brendan Cox on Life After the Death of His Wife, Jo. The Telegraph [online]. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/shock-thing-keeps-going-brendan-cox-life-death-wife-jo/. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Robson, I. (2017). Police Commissioner Vera Baird Blasts Judge over Comments on Drunk Rape Victims. ChronicleLive [online]. Available at: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/police-commissioner-vera-baird-blasts-12729523. Accessed 01 May 2017.
Rock, P. (2004). Constructing Victims’ Rights: The Home Office, New Labour, and Victims. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sanders, A., Hoyle, C., Morgan, R., & Cape, E. (2001, June). Victim Impact Statements: Don’t Work, Can’t Work. Criminal Law Review, 1: 437–458.
Stern, B. V. (2010). The Stern Review: A Report by Baroness Vivien Stern CBE of an Independent Review into How Rape Complaints Are Handled by Public Authorities in England and Wales. London: Home Office.
Taylor, D. (2017). Mark Duggan Family Lose Appeal Against Inquest’s Lawful Killing Verdict. The Guardian [online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/29/mark-duggan-family-lose-appeal-against-lawful-killing-verdict. Accessed 02 June 2017.
TellMAMA. (2017). Hijabi Victim Requests Media Agencies to Stop Circulating Picture of Her Walking on Westminster Bridge [online]. Available at: https://tellmamauk.org/request-media-agencies-stop-circulating-picture-muslim-woman-walking-westminster-bridge/. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Temkin, J. (2002). Rape and the Legal Process (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Vanderbeck, R. (2003). Youth, Racism, and Place in the Tony Martin Affair. Antipode, 35(2), 363–384.
van Dijk, J. (1983). Victimologie in theorie en praktijk; een kritische reflectie op de bestaande en nog te ceëren voorzieningen voor slachtoffers Van Delicten. Justitiële verkenningen, 6, 5–35.
van Duyne, C. (1981). A Psychological Approach to Differences in Sentencing. The Hague: Ministry of Justice.
Varley, C. (2017). I’ve Inherited Hillsborough… What It Means to a Scouser Like Me. BBC [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/1a5e1066-bbb2-464f-9a1a-c03b05ffc127. Accessed 02 May 2017.
von Hentig, H. (1948). The Criminal and His Victim. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Wendling, M. (2017). Sandy Hook to Trump: ‘Help Us Stop Conspiracy Theorists’. BBC [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-39194035. Accessed 02 June 2017.
Williams, R. (1981). Culture. London: Fontana.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hall, M. (2017). Victim Capital and Victim Policy Networks. In: Victims of Crime. Palgrave Studies in Victims and Victimology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64589-6_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64589-6_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-64588-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-64589-6
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)