Chapter VII

VICTIMOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
From late 1989 to late 1993, in the Australian state of New South Wales, a dozen or
so young tourists had gone missing along one of the country's major highways. Many
of the bodies were later found in the Belanglo State Forest, in varying stages of
decay. Some traveled in pairs, others alone. They were both males and females,
aged between 19 and 22. They come from different backgrounds, different countries,
and were traveling to different destinations.

Despite these differences, all of the victims shared a common characteristic that
linked them: they were hikers and backpackers. These similarities had the possibility
of providing investigators with a clue about the likely perpetrator of the crimes, and
provide the profiler with vital information not only about the perpetrator, but about the
victims themselves. Collectively, this information is referred to as "Victimology," or
the study of victims: an examination of every facet of their lifestyle, background,
health, and physical characteristics. It is hoped that through an in-depth examination
of the victims, we may know the perpetrator a little better.

Victimology is important in the overall investigative process because it not only tells
us who the victims were, their health and personal history, social habits and
personality, but also provides ideas as to why they were chosen as victims. In many
situations, the offender will hold back from choosing a victim until one that meets his
needs comes along, possibly allowing him to fulfill some fantasy or desire he has.
Because of this, the way the victim is chosen is important and gives an insight into
how the offender thinks, which subsequently affects how the perpetrator acts. If we
are able to determine how the offender is acting now, we may be better able to
determine his future behavior, possibly leading to a successful arrest.

DEFINITION OF VICTIMOLOGY
The word “VICTIMOLOGY” was coined in 1947 by a French lawyer, Benjamin
Mendelsohn from a Latin word ‘VICTIMA’ and a Greek word ‘LOGOS’. Victimology is
basically a study of crime from the point of view of the victim, of the persons suffering
from injury or destruction by action of another person or a group of persons.

Victimology may be defined as: the scientific study of the extent, nature and causes
of criminal victimization, its consequences for the persons involved and the reactions
thereto by society, in particular the police and the criminal justice system as well as
voluntary workers and professional helpers.

“The scientific study of victimization, including the relationships between victims and
offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system -- that is,
the police and courts, and corrections officials -- and the connections between
victims and other societal groups and institutions, such as the media, businesses,
and social movements."

Schultz (1970) says-

“Victimology is the study of the degree of and type of participation of the victim in the
gensis or development of the offences and an evaluation of what is just and proper
for the victim’s welfare”.

Drapkin and Viano (1974)-

“Victimology is the branch of criminology which primarily studies the victims of crime
and everything that is connected with such are victim”. (as quoted by Krishna and
Singh, 1982).

In a Broder prespective Antilla (1975)-

“Victimology studies by logical, Sociological, Psychological and criminological
aspects about the victims and brings into focus the victim-offender relationship and
the role played by the victim in occurence of the offence”

In extended sense Separovic(1975)-

“Victimology is the entire body of knowledge regarding victims, victimization and to
preserve the rights of victim; thus it is composed of knowledge drawn from such
fields Asiminology, Safety, Law, Medicine, Psychology, Social Work, Education and
Public Administration.7

According to Parsonage (1979)-

“Victimology concerns the interaction in which both the criminal and the victim have
functional role and responsibilities.

Shinder (1982)-
“It investigates the relationship between offender and victim in crime causation. It
deals with the process of victimization, of becoming a victim, and in this context
directs much of its attention to the problem victim-offender, sequence, i.e. the
question of whether or not victimization can have crimogenic effects or can
encourage crime.

CONCEPT OF VICTIMOLOGY
Victimology is the scientific study of victims of crime, a sub discipline of criminology.
It seeks to study the relationship between victim and offenders, the persons
especially vulnerable to crimes and the victims. Placement in the criminal justice
system (CJS) Benjamin Mendelsohn has done pioneering work in this field. B.
Mendelsohn is credited with being the first study to the relationship between victim
and doer (offender) and taken together, he termed to else PENAL COUPLE.

Mendelsohn studied victims on the basis of their contributions to crimes and

classified them into the following categories.
Completely innocent victims, e.g. Child, Persons in sleep
Victims with minor guilt and victims of ignorance such as pregnant women who go to
quacks for procuring abortions

Voluntary victims, such as the ones who commit suicide or are killed by euthanasia.

Victims who are more guilty then offenders such as persons who provoke others to
commit crimes. EG: the criminal type of victims who commits offences against others
and get killed or hurt by others in self-defense.

Until recently, victims were not studied. They tended to be seen as passive recipients
of the criminal's greed or anger, “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The study of
victims, known as victimology, has resulted in theoretical and research studies, and
an awareness of the victim has grown in the public consciousness. There is now
recognition that victims have traditionally not been treated particularly well by the
criminal justice system. Victims suffer not only during the crime, but that there are
also sometimes physical and psychological complications.

Perhaps the first theory to explain victimization was developed by Wolfgang in his
study of murders in Philadelphia. Victim precipitation theory argues that there are
victims who actually initiated the confrontation that led to their injuries and deaths.
Although this was the result of the study of only one type of crime, the idea was first
raised that victims also might play a role in the criminal activity.

Subsequently, some general facts have been gathered about victimization.

1. Victimization is more likely at night (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.). Personal larceny is
more common during the day, with more serious crime occurring at night.
2. Crime occurs more in open public areas, although rapes and simple assaults
tend to occur in homes.
3. Crime is most frequent in central city areas.
4. Western urban areas have the highest crime rates, while the Northeast rural
areas have the lowest.
5. The National Crime Survey indicates that 25% of U.S. households have at least
one individual who was victimized in some way during the past year.
6. Personal theft is very common. About 99% of Americans will be the victim of
personal theft at some time in their lives, and 87% will be a theft victim three or
more times.
7. Men are twice as likely as women to be victims of robbery and assault. The
violent victimization rate for females has been fairly stable, but there has been a
20% increase for males in the last 15 years.
8. Victim risk diminishes rapidly after age 25. Contrary to popular belief,
grandparents are safer than their grandchildren.
9. Unmarried/never married people are more likely to be victims than the married or
widowed.
10. The poor are more likely to be victims of crime. They are far more likely to be
victims of violent crime, while the middle class are more likely to be victims of
property crime.
11. African Americans are victimized at the highest rates. Crime tends to be intra-
racial (criminals and victims of the same race) rather than interracial (criminal
and victim of different races). About 75% of crime is intra-racial.
12. Strangers commit about 60% of violent crimes. However, females are more likely
to know their assailants.
13. In some studies, over half of offenders report being under the influence of
alcohol and/or other drugs when they committed the offense resulting in
incarceration.
14. The characteristics of those most likely to be victimized might be summarized as:
young, black, urban, poor and male.

Victimology
 Victims – individuals who experience loss, injury, or hardship for any reason.
 Crime Victims – above as result of an illegal act.
 Direct/Primary – experiences criminal act and its consequences first hand.
 Indirect/Secondary – family and those who suffer emotionally or financially
but are not immediately involved or physically injured.

WHO IS A VICTIM?
 Someone who is put to death or subjected to torture or suffering by another.
 A living creature slain and offered as sacrifice to a deity or as part of a religious
sacrifice.
 Anyone who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance,
circumstance agency or condition: victims of war.
 A person who suffers injury, loss, or death as a result of a voluntary undertaking:
 a victim of his own scheming.
 A person who is tricked, swindled, or taken advantage of a dupe.

General Classes of Victims

 The Young – the weak by virtue of age and immaturity
 The Female – often less physically powerful and easily dominated by males.
 The Old – the incapable of physical defense and the common object of
confidence scheme.
 The Mentally Defective – those who are unable to think clearly.
 The Immigrant – those who are unsure of the rules of conduct in the surrounding
society.
 The Minorities – racial prejudice may lead to victimization or unequal treatment
by the agency of justice.

TYPES OF VICTIM
 The Depressed – those submissive by virtue of emotional condition.
 The Acquisitive or Greedy – the value or act of wanting more propels such
individuals into victimization.
 The Wanton or Overly Sensual - those ruled by passion and thoughtlessly
seeking pleasure.
 The Lonesome – similar to the acquisitive type of victim, by virtue of wanting
companionship or affection.
 The Heartbroken – those emotionally disturbed by virtue of heartaches and pains.
 The Tormentor – the type of victim who asked for it, often from his own family or
friends.

Studying of Victimization Scientifically

 Subjective Approach
- Issues are approached from standpoint of morally, ethics,
philosophy, personalized reactions, and emotions.

 Objective Approach
- Requires observer to be fair, open – minded, even – handed,
dispassionate, neutral, and unbiased.
 Why should victimologists NOT be pro – victim?
 “Ideal victim”: person who suffered harm was weaker than aggressor, acting
virtuously or not looking for trouble or breaking any laws, and wrongdoer was
a stranger acting illegally and was unprovoked.

Victims or Offender?
 Who is the victim and who is the offender?
 Not always clear cut – consider the following:
- Subway Vigilante
- Menendez Brothers
- Bobicks

Criminals as Victims
 Predatory persons prey each other
- Organized crime “takes out a contract”
- “Drive – by” shooting between two gangs
- “Drug deal gone bad”
Cycle of Violence
 Cycle of violence over time can transform a victim(s) into victimizer(s).
- Group of picked on students may gang up against the bully
- Battered wife may launch a vengeful attack against husband
- Convicts much more likely to have been abused physically or
sexually as children
- Violence Begets Violence

Victims vs. “Good Guys”

 Victimologists do not limit their studies to clashes between victims and
offenders
 They also consider the social reaction to victimization
 Victims outraged by media coverage – sensationalism
 Investigation of charges in high profile cases require victimologists to be
detached and disinterested in carrying out analysis
Victimology’s Undeserved “Bad Reputation”
 Victimology during the 90s and into the twentieth century has become to
many a “dirty word”.
 (Paglia, 1993) A critic of contemporary feminism declared on national TV, “I
hate victimology. I despise a victim – centered view of universe”.
 (Leo, 1994) A news magazine commentator complained, “We are deep into
the era of the abuse excuse”. The doctrine of victimology – claiming victim
status means you are not responsible for your actions – is beginning to warp
the legal system”.
 An author of a book about race relations called a well – known preacher who
is a civil rights activist a “Professional Victimologist”. (Dreher, 2001).
 (Harrop, 2003) A review of a book noted, “The art of victimology requires
three easy steps:
(1.) Identify a group suffering from real or perceived injustices
(2.) Exaggerate the problem
(3.) Blame the problem on a group you don’t like.

Conservatives have long condemned the “victimology industry” as a racket,

especially when practiced by women and minorities.
 Victimology is a new academic discipline that only means “the study of”
victims.
 It is focused on the research about people harm by criminals
 It does not impose a partisan point of view or a set or predictably blased
conclusions
 The ideology of “victimism” is a coherent, integrated set of beliefs that shapes
interpretations and leads to political action
 Do not confuse “victimism” with “victimology”
 Victimological research must tell the whole truth regardless of who is
disappointed or insulted
 Three types of biases undermine the ability to any social scientist to achieve
objectivity – they include:

Three types of biases

1. May arise from personal experience, taking the form of individual
preferences and prejudices.
2. Derives from the history of the discipline itself:
- Pioneers in the study of victimology first introduced the concept of
 victim – blaming
- Today, majority of victimologists are pro – victim
3. A subtle bias traced back to the mood of the times:
- 60s – 70s: a demand for government to devise ways to help
victims get back on their feet financially, medically, and
emotionally
- 80s: a theme of self – reliance and a reduction in government
social spending and tax cutting gained popularity

Three Origins of Victimology

 Significant gains in the United States when the President’s Commission on
Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice urged criminologists to
pay more attention to victims.
 By the 70s victimology became field of study
 By 1990, 240 colleges and universities offered courses in victimology
 Most states passed crime victims rights amendments to their state
constitution
 2004 – Congress enacts the Crime Victims’ Rights Act which provides for fair
treatment and opportunities for input in federal court proceedings

Victimology vs. Criminology

 Victimology is best viewed as an area of specialization within criminology
 Criminology embraces the scientific study of crimes, criminals, criminal laws
and the justice system, societal reactions, and crime victims.
 Criminologists ask why certain individuals become involve in lawbreaking
while others do not.
 Victimologists ask why some individuals, households, and entities are
targeted while others are not, and why over and over again.
 Criminologists apply their findings to devise crime prevention strategies
 Victimologists use patterns and trends to develop victimization prevention
strategies and risk – reduction tactics.
 Both Criminologists and Victimologists study how the criminal justice system
actually works versus how it is supposed to work.
 Boundaries
- Boundaries are clear cut for Criminology
- Boundaries for Victimology still unclear
- Overlap due to lack of boundaries (Crime rates vs. Victimization
rates)

Division within the Discipline

 Political ideologies shape policy recommendations:
- Conservative
- Liberal
- Radical

1. Conservative influence
- Focuses on basically street crimes
- Everyone to be held accountable for their decisions and actions
- Emphasis on self reliance, NOT government
- Individual responsibility for preventing, avoiding, resisting and
 recovering from critical acts
- Strictly punish offenders on behalf of their victims

2. Liberal influence
- Scope of field to extend beyond street crimes
- Endorse government intervention
- Extend ‘safety net’ mechanisms for all kinds of misfortunes
- Look to wrongdoers repaying their victims to allow for
reconciliation

3. Radical / Critical / Conflict Influence

- Victimization is a result of oppressive social system
- Scope of the field to include:
Industrial polluters, hazardous workplaces, fraudulent advertisers, brutally violent law
enforcement agencies, poverty, malnutrition, family dysfunction, unemployment and
substance abuse; these are social problems of which the criminal justice system is
part of the problem.