Exploring Bystander Presence and Intervention in Nonfatal Violent Victimization: When Does Helping Really Help?

Abstract

The current research explores two important issues related to the study of bystander intervention during nonfatal violent victimization. First, using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), conjunctive analysis of case configurations is conducted to identify the most dominant situational contexts in which a bystander is present during violent crime. Second, the prevalence of responses in which a bystander helps or hurts during these events is determined. Results and the analytical approach used in this investigation are discussed in terms of their implications for future research on the normative and deviant reactions to crime by third parties and its victims.

Toward the Next Generation of Bystander Prevention of Sexual and Relationship Violence

“…Indeed victim outcomes were less associated with the presence or absence of a bystander and more about whether the victim perceived that the bystander was harmed by being in the situation. Hart and Miethe (2008) conducted interesting analyses of helping ratios. They examined in what contexts across different types of crime bystanders are likely to be most helpful.…”

Urban Planning and Environmental Criminology: Towards a New Perspective for Safer Cities

“…Indeed, studies, which have investigated bystander apathy, have found that as the number of bystanders increases, the likelihood for intervention decreases (Darley & Latane, 1968;Morgan, 1978). The study of bystander behaviour is important to understanding crime and has recently been applied to the field of interpersonal violence (Barnyard, 2008;Hart & Miethe, 2008).…”

Using Interactive Theater to Create Socioculturally Relevant Community‐Based Intimate Partner Violence Prevention

“…Not all bystander interventions are helpful, and what is helpful or harmful depends on various contextual factors (Banyard 2008;Hart and Miethe 2008;McMahon and Dick 2011). Studies have documented various socioculturally rooted factors that influence the manifestations of and responses to IPV, which in turn influence the effectiveness of specific bystander intervention approaches.…”