Factors of Selecting a Target for a Crime - Coursework Example

These may include lavish lifestyles, provocative dressing, living in big cities, excessive use of alcohol or drugs, or a certain characteristic in one’s personality like lack of confidence. All of these factors combined play an important role which may ultimately lead a criminal to pinpoint a target. Since there are a lot of statistics to support these theories, it is for the benefit of the people that they understand these and reduce the risk of victimization.

If a person understands these factors, then he works on reducing the risk of being singled out by a criminal. A person can then try to modify the part of his personality or outlook that makes him a vulnerable target for the offenders. For example, it is widely speculated that provocative dressing may be one cause for some women being targeted for rape, therefore while going alone or visiting a far-off place, it is advisable to dress modestly to avert the attention of the offenders. Keeping these factors in mind, a person can certainly reduce the risk of being selected as a victim.