NCJ Number
66998
Date Published
1979
Length
26 pages
Annotation
PART OF A TEXTBOOK ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THIS CHAPTER OUTLINES THE SCOPE, PATTERNS, AND THEORIES OF VICTIMIZATION, THE DEFINITION OF VICTIMOLOGY, AND STEPS TOWARD PREVENTION.
Abstract
VICTIMOLOGY CAN BE CONSIDERED A SUBSET OF CRIMINOLOGY THAT FOCUSES ON THE VICTIM RATHER THAN ON THE OFFENDER. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES ARE DRAWN FOR THE TWO SCIENCES. DEFINITIONS DEVELOPED BY SOCIETY REGARDING VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS IDENTIFIED, AS ARE CURRENT LAWS THAT PROVIDE (OR FAIL TO PROVIDE) FOR VICTIMS. CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL, NEW, AND ACADEMIC CONCEPTUAL BASES ARE INTRODUCED TO DESCRIBE THE SCOPE OF VICTIMIZATION. FIRST, SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF VICTIMIZATION ARE VIEWED WITH THE CONVENTIONAL CRIMINAL LAW AS THE DELINEATOR, ACCOMPANIED BY A FOCUS ON THE VICTIMS OF THE CONVENTIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE INSTITUTIONS. SECOND, NEW AREAS OF LEGAL DEVELOPMENT ARE EXPLORED IN WHICH A CONCEPTUALIZATION OF VICTIM AND OFFENDER HAS NOT GAINED ADEQUATE SOCIAL AWARENESS; I.E., THE VICTIMS OF WHITE-COLLAR CRIME AND CORPORATE CRIMES. THIRD, THE OFFENDER IS REGARDED AS A VICTIM OF THE SOCIAL ORDER. VICTIMIZATION IS THEN ANALYZED IN TERMS OF ITS OCCURRENCE IN INTERACTIONAL SITUATIONS AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS, AS THESE PATTERNS CAN BE OF APPLIED VALUE IN THE REARRANGEMENT OF THE EXISTING SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS IN COMMUNITIES FOR THE PREVENTION OF VICTIMIZATION. INTERACTIONAL ANALYSIS IS APPLIED TO SUCH VICTIM-OFFENDER TYPES AS THE IGNORANT-VICTIM AND INTELLIGENT-OFFENDER, THE PASSIVE-VICTIM AND AGGRESSIVE-OFFENDER, AND THE AGGRESSIVE-VICTIM AND AGGRESSIVE-OFFENDER. PREVENTION INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL PRGRAMS IN CORRECTIONS, POLICE PATROL, PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS, AND COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS. (MHP)