RACIST VIOLENCE IN 15 EU MEMBER STATES - Cospe

RACIST VIOLENCE IN 15 EU MEMBER STATES - A Comparative Overview of Findings from the RAXEN NFP Reports 2001-2004
21.1.2. Political and policy influences on recording racist
violence
As highlighted in each of the country profiles, the priority assigned to counting
racist violence needs to be interpreted against the backdrop of each Member State’s
political and policy background. Together, a number of key factors influence the
data collection process.
In general terms, consideration should be given as to whether crime is prioritised as
a social problem and, specifically, whether victims of crime are prioritised
alongside offenders. As criminal justice systems have traditionally focused their
activities on criminals – their apprehension, conviction and sentencing – and not
victims, there are a number of barriers that have to be surmounted before victims
can be considered equal players in most jurisdictions 117 . In turn, few jurisdictions
give consideration in practice to the special needs of various victim groups – such
as children, women, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities (to name just a
few).
The extent to which the police act as service providers to victims of crime, in
general, is likely to provide an indication of how they respond to victims of
racist crime and violence, in particular. However, the police’s response to
victims of racist violence is also determined by the extent to which national
minorities and foreign groups are constructed as a ‘problem’ in different
jurisdictions. If the emphasis is to police these groups as a potential threat to social
order, including their construction as a threat to national security, then
prioritisation of their experiences as victims of racism is somewhat at odds with
this position. While it is not unfeasible to combine both responses, a tough police
response to minority communities does not encourage members of these
communities to trust the police and report experiences of criminal victimisation.
Civil society has a significant part to play in promoting positive responses to
victims of crime. Political and policy responses to racist violence can be
influenced by a strong NGO culture that is proactive in highlighting the
experiences of victims of crime, and in particular the experiences of victims of
racism. In addition, a strong culture of data collection and analysis by government
departments, academics and research institutions will encourage data collection on
racist violence. Quality research can be used to alert policy makers and politicians
to core areas for policy intervention in the area of racist crime and violence. In the
absence of a proactive NGO and research culture, there is little evidence that can
be drawn on to highlight the problem of racist violence, besides any media
reporting.
117
Brienen, M.E.I. and Hoegen, E. (2000) Victims of Crime in 22 European Criminal
Justice Systems, Nijmegen: Wolf Legal Productions; Mikaelsson, J. and Wergens, A.
(2001) Repairing the Irreparable, Umeå: Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and
Support Authority; Wemmers, J. (1996) Victims in the Criminal Justice System,
Amsterdam: Kugler.
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