Teaching Theories of Victimology

Abstract

While there has been significant growth in victimology theories since its roots in the mid twentieth century, these developments have not been adequately transferred to victimology textbooks. This paper evaluates the representation of theories in victimology textbooks using a content analysis approach. It specifically examines the amount of space dedicated to theory, what specific theories are discussed, and the way theories are integrated into the text. Although these texts provide a solid foundation in the historical development of victimology, measuring victimization, and to a lesser extent, the criminal justice response and remedies for victims, students are often not given a framework for which to understand and explain patterns and risk factors of victimization. In light of the paucity of attention to theories of victimology, suggestions for teaching theories of victimology in ways that supplement existing texts and implications for future textbooks are discussed.

Basics of Victimology for Medical Personnel

“…In victimology, the criminal justice system is usually much talked about with some emphasis on the remedies for the victims but the lesser part which is not talked about is the patterns and risk factors of victimization. 8 In the victimology concept, the victim's relationship to criminology and social sciences is important, but society's reaction to the victimization is equally important for helping the victim and preventing the crime. It is important to treat the victim in a criminal system in a good manner, but IJETV Vol.…”

Predicting Fraud Victimization Using Classical Machine Learning

“…The idea of victim facilitation in crime can be extended to financial exploitation [ 21 ]. In applying LET to victim exposure, it is important not only to examine how deviant lifestyles influence victimization [ 26 ] but also to understand the level of adaptation and cooperation between victim and offender where the latter sees the former as prey [ 27 ]. Pratt et al [ 24 ] suggested that when it comes to financial crime, the behaviors that are considered risky are different from those considered risky in street crime contexts.…”

“…Most of the previous research on LET has been conducted on street-level crimes [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 26 ]. Lifestyle research in this area tends to be focused on victims’ association with offender and exposure to criminogenic environments as strong predictors of victimization [ 22 , 24 ].…”

Misconception about Victimology Theories

“…The early victimologists focused on the role that victims played in crime, which resulted in the concept that some victims contribute to, or precipitate, their victimization [1]. Over the past several decades, the field of victimology has grown dramatically, particularly through developments in the measurement of victimization, the criminal justice response to victims, and attention towards victim trauma and services [2].…”