Victims of serious violence and their criminal behavior: subcultural theory and beyond

Abstract

This paper looks at the relationship between the experiences of the victim of a serious crime and that of the offender. It shows that, in some cases, the victim experience is an important predictor of criminal behavior. An analysis of self-reported and officially recorded offense and victimization data supports the hypothesized relationship between victim and offender experiences. The results have implications for subcultural theory and a dynamic analysis of how patterns of assaultive violence are created and maintained.