Risk of Victimization

Mary Lou Jones had the following routine activities as an individual:

• Leaving for work the same time, each day, from the same location.
• Choosing the same method of transportation for all outings.
• Leaving a specific light on in the home each evening.
• Entering and exiting the home from the same door each time.
• Picking up the mail and newspaper the same time each day.

She recently became victim to a theft that took place at her place. She recently came to know that in the local middle school in her area there has been a sudden rise in victimization due to thefts and bullying. She plans to put her experience to use and assist the assigned security director at the middle school in identifying the patterns of victimization committed at the school.

Based on the above, answer the following questions

• Can an individual's choice of lifestyle be capable of putting him or her at risk for victimization?
• Which of the above-mentioned Mary Lou Jones's activities is the most and the least plausible that can contribute to a crime? Why?
• What changes should Mary Lou Jones make to her routine activities to ensure not becoming a potential victim?
• Which of the theories of victimization is the best—routine activities theory, lifestyle theory, or rational theory? Why?
• The principal of the school and the security director believe that inclusion of students in the analysis team is beneficial for identification because they are directly affected by the policy? Can inclusion really exercise such an effect? Why?
• What are the patterns of victimization in the recent thefts and bullying committed at the school?
• Are diverse team structures feasible for determining victim measurements and assessments? How?