What is Victimology?

Victimology is a branch of criminology that studies victims, survivors and their relationships with the people who victimized them. It scientifically examines the degrees of suffering caused by offenders. Victimology researchers investigate the physical, emotional and financial impact of crime.

History

• Victimology was developed in the 1940s and 1950s. Notable criminologists Hans von Hentig, Benjamin Mendelsohn and Henri Ellenberger began studying the interactions between victims and perpetrators, and started drawing links between their actions. Early victimology argued that there was a correlation between a victim's carelessness, conduct, behavior, personality or misunderstanding and the crime committed. In essence, it said some victims were partially at fault for the crimes. The study of victimology used the information to recognize those cases and develop cost-saving and risk-reducing law enforcement practices.

Shift in Focus

• In the 1970s, the field shifted its focus to studying victimization as a means of preventing increases in future crime and helping victims get what they need to move on. Victimology sought to give law enforcement and counselors tools to better handle cases and ultimately speed recovery and resolution.

Fields of Study

• Today's victimology combines criminology with several other disciplines, including psychology, social work, sociology, economics, law and political science. The most commonly studied areas of victimization are murder, rape, spousal abuse, elder abuse, child abuse and kidnapping. As the field expands identity theft, terror attacks, hate crimes and disability discrimination are also being researched.

Relationships

• One of the key factors looked at by victimologists is the relationship status of the criminal and the victim. It questions whether the two were friends, family members, romantically involved, acquaintances or perfect strangers. From there, the focus turns to how the particular victim was chosen and if he was targeted for a reason.

Frequency

• Another important area of interest for victimologists is how often certain crimes occur and where they take place. They seek to explain why the crime rate varies in different age groups, gender groups, socio-economic classes, race groups and ethnicities. By grouping people and studying their lifestyles, victimologists hope to learn enough to prevent crime on an annual and individual lifetime basis.

The Justice System

• Victimologists also study the ways in which legal professionals treat victims as part of a trial. Many advances in victims' rights have come from research showing the injured party's needs being overlooked.