Criminal Justice & Law
Victimology
Individuals have been victimized by crime and other violent incidents for centuries, yet the study of crime victims is only in its infancy by comparison. This comprehensive course in the study of victims of crime, Victimology, covers contemporary developments in the field of victimology, its conceptual boundaries, basic concepts and literature as well as the various subfields that make up this subject within criminology and criminal justice. The course provides students with an extensive overview of the principles and concepts of victimology, the various types of violence that lead to different types of victimization as well as the motives behind such actions and both the short- and long-term effects on individuals and society as a whole. Students will have the opportunity to analyze victimization patterns and trends, the theoretical reasoning and responses to criminal victimization as well as the overall offender-victim relationships. Finally the course will look at how victimology has been used in the criminal justice to date, its uses and limitations as well as the implications of this study for criminal justice purposes going forward.
Presenting a comprehensive overview of the consequences of victimization and the various remedies now available to different victims of crime, particularly violent crime, this course examines the causes of victimization and looks at theories associated with violent victimization. It analyzes the offender-victim relationship and presents ideas on preventing violence and responding to victimization.
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Define terms related to violence and victimization
- Examine the concept of victimization
- Trace the development of theories of victimization
- Differentiate between types of violence
- Examine offender-victim relationships
- Analyze injustices by the criminal justice system
- Examine motives for terrorism
- Assess laws to combat terrorism
- Appraise ways of responding to criminal victimization
This class includes the following eText:
Meadows. (2010). Understanding Violence and Victimization; 5/E; ISBN: 0135154642
This course does not include tutoring.