Some dispute must arise between them in which the victim is perceived by the offender as an appropriate object of victimization. The offender must be willing and able to threaten or use force in order to achieve the desired end. The circumstances must be such that the offender views it as advantageous to use or threaten force to achieve the desired end. These people frequently live in high crime areas or associate with people living in high crime areas. Examples of lifestyle victims are the homeless, drifters, prostitutes, etc.
Many victims of crime are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.
However, many victims live near likely offenders. This is called proximity theory. This approach is an ecological approach to understanding criminal victimization. Areas of frequent criminal victimizations are often called hot spots . Defensible space theory posits that people are more likely to defend themselves in areas where conditions are conducive to reporting crime.