Terminology
Type of Victim/Victimization
Adult molested as child
Adult age 18 or older who was sexually abused as a child
Adult sexual assault
Sexual offense—including rape, incest, fondling, exhibitionism, or pornography—of an adult age 18 or older.
Aggravated assault
Unlawful, intentional causing of serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon, or unlawful, intentional attempting or threatening of serious bodily injury or death with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Arson
Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or personal property of another.
Assault
An unlawful attack by one person on another--with or without a weapon-- that inflicts, or attempts or threatens to inflict physical injury.
Definition of a Child
A person under the age of 18 or as otherwise defined by state law.
Child physical abuse
Non-accidental injury to a child by a parent or other adult that may include severe beatings, burns, strangulation, or human bites.
Child sexual abuse
Sexual offense against a child by a parent or other adult.
Domestic violence
Violent acts involving a current or former spouse or domestic partner.
DUI/DWI crash
Accident involving one or more motor vehicles in which at least one driver was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI), or was legally intoxicated (DWI) at the time of the crash.
Elderly abuse
Abuse perpetrated by a caretaker on an elderly individual who depends on others for support and assistance.
Fraud
A deliberate deception perpetrated for unlawful or unfair gain.
Gang violence
Criminal acts committed by a group of three or more individuals who regularly engage in criminal activity and identify themselves with a common name or sign.
Human trafficking
Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
Identity theft
A crime in which an impostor obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver's license numbers, to impersonate someone else.
Other, referring to types of victim served
Victims of nonviolent crime, such as burglary and white-collar crime.
Other violent crimes
Other crimes not listed, not including property crimes (which is the taking of money or property without force or threat of force).
Robbery
Taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence.
Sexual offense
Forcible rape, attempted rape, statutory rape, sexual harassment, prostitution, or other unlawful sexual contact and other unlawful behavior intended to result in sexual gratification or profit from sexual activity.
Stalking
Any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear.
Survivor of homicide victim
Family member or loved one of a murder victim.
Terrorism
Use of violence or intimidation to coerce a government or civilian population to further political or social objectives.
Victims with disabilities
Victims of crime who have a physical or mental disability.
White-collar crime
Nonviolent crime for financial gain committed by means of deception by persons with special technical and professional knowledge of business or government.
Adult molested as child
Adult age 18 or older who was sexually abused as a child
Adult sexual assault
Sexual offense—including rape, incest, fondling, exhibitionism, or pornography—of an adult age 18 or older.
Aggravated assault
Unlawful, intentional causing of serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon, or unlawful, intentional attempting or threatening of serious bodily injury or death with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Arson
Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or personal property of another.
Assault
An unlawful attack by one person on another--with or without a weapon-- that inflicts, or attempts or threatens to inflict physical injury.
Definition of a Child
A person under the age of 18 or as otherwise defined by state law.
Child physical abuse
Non-accidental injury to a child by a parent or other adult that may include severe beatings, burns, strangulation, or human bites.
Child sexual abuse
Sexual offense against a child by a parent or other adult.
Domestic violence
Violent acts involving a current or former spouse or domestic partner.
DUI/DWI crash
Accident involving one or more motor vehicles in which at least one driver was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI), or was legally intoxicated (DWI) at the time of the crash.
Elderly abuse
Abuse perpetrated by a caretaker on an elderly individual who depends on others for support and assistance.
Fraud
A deliberate deception perpetrated for unlawful or unfair gain.
Gang violence
Criminal acts committed by a group of three or more individuals who regularly engage in criminal activity and identify themselves with a common name or sign.
Human trafficking
Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
Identity theft
A crime in which an impostor obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver's license numbers, to impersonate someone else.
Other, referring to types of victim served
Victims of nonviolent crime, such as burglary and white-collar crime.
Other violent crimes
Other crimes not listed, not including property crimes (which is the taking of money or property without force or threat of force).
Robbery
Taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence.
Sexual offense
Forcible rape, attempted rape, statutory rape, sexual harassment, prostitution, or other unlawful sexual contact and other unlawful behavior intended to result in sexual gratification or profit from sexual activity.
Stalking
Any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear.
Survivor of homicide victim
Family member or loved one of a murder victim.
Terrorism
Use of violence or intimidation to coerce a government or civilian population to further political or social objectives.
Victims with disabilities
Victims of crime who have a physical or mental disability.
White-collar crime
Nonviolent crime for financial gain committed by means of deception by persons with special technical and professional knowledge of business or government.
Sources
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed. 2000.
Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Comer, R. 1998. Abnormal Psychology. 3d ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
Criminal Justice Today Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Criminal Law Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Criminology Today Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States—2001. Uniform Crime Reports. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
The National Center for Victims of Crime. Stalking Resource Center. Safety Plan Guidelines. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service. In the Spotlight: Gangs: Related Resources. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Sacramento Court Appointed Special Advocate Program. Access to Visitation Program Overview. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Subgrant Award Report Form, OJP ADMIN FORM 7980/2A (REV. 11–95). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime.
U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary. Revised edition. 1996. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices/search.asp
Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Comer, R. 1998. Abnormal Psychology. 3d ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
Criminal Justice Today Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Criminal Law Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Criminology Today Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States—2001. Uniform Crime Reports. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
The National Center for Victims of Crime. Stalking Resource Center. Safety Plan Guidelines. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service. In the Spotlight: Gangs: Related Resources. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Sacramento Court Appointed Special Advocate Program. Access to Visitation Program Overview. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Subgrant Award Report Form, OJP ADMIN FORM 7980/2A (REV. 11–95). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime.
U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report. Retrieved July 11, 2003.
Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary. Revised edition. 1996. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices/search.asp