Faculty Publications

A Typology Of Victim Characterization In Television Crime Dramas

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Fictional crime drama, Gender, Victim blame

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture

Volume

17

Issue

1

First Page

231

Last Page

263

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to assess the nature of female victim blame in crime dramas. We focus specifically on how female victims of interpersonal violence, rape/sexual assault, and stalking are characterized in the 2003-2004 season of Crime Scene Investigation, Law & Order, Law & Order-Special Victims Unit, and Without a Trace. Using a content analysis, we examine statements made about victims and offenders and create a typology representing the characterization of female victims in relation to the characterization of offenders. We find that victim blame does not occur in an overt, direct manner. Rather, it occurs covertly through the relationship between victims and offenders. When offenders are characterized more positively, victims are portrayed negatively and as having some responsibility for their victimization. © 2010 School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany.

Department

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology

Original Publication Date

9-14-2010

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