History of Victimology

Victimology is the branch of criminology that examines the emotional, physical and economic impact of crimes on the victims. Victimologists also examine the relationships between victims and their victimizers to discover why and how the victim was chosen.

Origins

The field of victimology emerged in the 1940s when two European criminologists named Von Hentig and Mendelsohn, often called the "fathers of victimology," began studying crime victims. They suggested the theory that the victim's behavior and attitude caused the crime to be committed. The field of victimology originally devoted most of its energy to examining the numerous ways victims shared the responsibility of specific crimes with the criminal offenders.

1960s

The 1960s saw the focus of victimology researchers shift to the rights of the crime victims. The Civil Rights movement and the feminist movement helped draw social and political attention to the fact that crime victims were not being treated fairly by the judicial system. Champions of victims' rights fought against "victim blaming" and challenged the treatment of victims by the judicial system. The view that victims were responsible for their own victimization was now being viewed as unacceptable.

1970s

In the 1970s, victimologists began examining ways to prevent future crimes. The focus turned to the areas of child abuse, rape and battered wives. Universities offered courses in understanding victimization. Crime victims were also allowed to provide their input into their criminal cases for the first time, and victim programs emerged to ease the stress of fulfilling these witness responsibilities.

1980s

Victimologists in the 1980s began helping crime victims become more organized and empowered. Large groups like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) formed to offer support services to its members and push for legal reforms which supported the rights of victims. In 1980, California established state funding for victim assistance and Wisconsin passed the first state Victims' Bill of Rights. In 1981, President Ronald Regan endorsed and implemented a National Victim's Rights Week. in 1985, the National Center for Victims of Crime was established to increase the public's awareness of victims' concerns and rights.

1990s

The 1990s was a decade of research designed to understand victim populations. Victimologists began studying groups of individuals who suffered from the same traumatic event. University victimology studies fused the disciplines of psychology, sociology, law and ethics to produce courses designed to understand both victims and those who worked with the victims. Business courses offered the chance to examine the organization and management of organization that offered victim services.

Today

Although the focus is still on crime victims, the field is gradually expanding to include the victims of war, traffic accidents, genocides and natural disasters. Today's victimologists are increasingly studying identify theft, hate crimes, disability discrimination and terrorist attacks. There is additional emphasis on the psychological impact of trauma and how to treat the dysfunctional behaviors and phobias that stem from victimization. The goal is to help victims return to a normal level of functionality sooner.

References

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/ncvrw/2005/pg4c.html
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mstevens/300/300lecturenote01.htm