Drinking routines/lifestyles and predatory victimization: A causal analysis

Abstract

This study explores the causal role of drinking routines and lifestyles in the social process of becoming the victim of predatory crime. Data used include demographic and lifestyle characteristics of approximately 6,300 respondents from the 1982 British Crime Survey. On the basis of theoretical propositions derived from extant victim theory, various drinking routine/lifestyle models of predatory victimization were constructed and were tested empirically. The results suggested that victimogenic demographic attributes (i.e., being male or young) are mediated by certain combined patterns of alcohol use and nighttime activities. In particular, findings suggested that drinking routines and lifestyles characterized as “high exposure” increase the odds of predatory victimization. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.