Victimology

Lore & Background

Victimology examines the psychological reactions of victims, including fear, anxiety, self-blame, anger, shame, and difficulty sleeping, which often lead to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. The Supreme Court of the United States first recognized the rights of crime victims to make a victim impact statement during sentencing in the case of Payne v. Victim impact panels, a form of restorative justice, allow victims or their relatives to meet with the defendant after conviction to describe the crime's effects.

Reader's Guide

Theories within victimology include Richard Quinney's argument that 'the victim' is a social construct requiring societal agreement, and Nils Christie's classification of 'ideal victims' as those perceived as weak, engaged in reputable activities, not accountable for their victimization, and harmed by a large, evil, unknown offender. Research in the 2020s linked routine maintenance of public places with reduced community violence, while vacant and cited properties were associated with higher rates of child neglect and intimate partner violence. Victim proneness studies show that men aged 15–34 are more likely to be repeat victims than women, and that juvenile offenders often victimize people they know in crimes such as sexual assault and homicide. The fundamental attribution error and just-world fallacy contribute to victim blaming, as people over-value dispositional explanations for others' behavior and believe that individuals get what they deserve.

Did You Know?

• Men aged 15–34 are more likely to be victims of repeated crimes than women, contrary to popular belief.