LESSON 5

VICTIMOLOGY

TOPICS
1. Theories of Victimology
2. Crime Victim
3. Crime Prevention and Protection Principles

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. identify the sciences that is related to the study of the role of the victim;
2. identify the different types of victims;
3. identify the causes of victimization; and
4. identify the types of prevention.

TOPIC 1: HISTORY OF VICTIMOLOGY

Victimology is the scientific study of victimization, including the

relationships between victim and offenders, the interactions between victims and
the criminal justice system - that is, the police, courts, and correction officials, and
the connection between the victims and other societal groups and institutions,
such as the media business, and social movements.
A. The Early Roots
The word “victim” has its roots in many ancient languages that covered a great
distance from north western Europe to the southern tip of Asia and yet had a
similar linguistic pattern: victima in Latin; víh, wéoh, wíg in Old European; wíh,
wíhi in Old High German; vé in Old Norse; weihs in Gothic; and, vinak ti in Sanskrit
(Webster’s 1971).

Victimology as an academic term contains two elements:

• One is the Latin word “Victima” which translates into “victim”.
• The other is the Greek word “logos” which means a system of knowledge, the
direction of something abstract, and the direction of teaching, science, and a
discipline. Although writings about the victim appeared in many early works by
such criminologists as Beccaria (1764), Lombroso (1876), Ferri (1892), Garófalo
(1885), Sutherland (1924), Hentig (1948), Nagel (1949), Ellenberger (1955),
Wolfgang (1958) and Schafer (1968), the concept of a science to study victims
and the word “victimology” had its origin with the early writings of Beniamin
Mendelsohn (1937; 1940), these leading to his seminal work where he actually
proposed the term “victimology” in his article “A New Branch of Bio-Psycho-Social
Science, Victimology” (1956). It was in this article that he suggested the
establishment of an international society of victimology which has come to fruition
with the creation of the World Society of Victimology, the establishment of a
number of victimological institutes (including the creation here in Japan of the
Tokiwa International Victimology Institute); and, the establishment of international
journals which are now also a part of this institute. Mendelsohn provided us with
his victimology vision and blueprint; and, as his disciples we have followed his
guidance. We now refer to Von Hentig and Mendelsohn as “The Fathers of
Victimology”.
Its original meaning was rooted in the idea of sacrifice or scapegoat – the
execution or casting out of a person or animal to satisfy a deity or hierarchy.
Over the years, victim precipitation have come to be perceived as a
negative thing; “victim blaming”. Research into ways in which victims contribute
to their own victimization is considered by victims and victim advocates as both
unacceptable and destructive.
Today, the concept of victim includes any person who experiences injury,
loss, or hardship due to any cause. Also today, the word victim is used rather
indiscriminately, e.g., cancer victims, holocaust victims, accident victims, victims
of injustice, hurricane victims, crime victims, and others.
Crime victim generally refers to any person, group, or entity who has
suffered injury or loss due to illegal activity. The harm can be physical,
psychological, or economic.
B. Critical Dates in Victimology
• 1924 Edwin Sutherland includes a chapter on victims in his criminology
textbook.
• 1937 Beniamin Mendelsohn publishes his writings on the rapist and his victim.
• 1941 Hans von Hentig publishes article on victim and criminal interactions.
• 1947 Beniamin Mendelsohn coins the term “victimology” in a French journal.
• 1948 Hans von Hentig publishes his book The Criminal and His Victim.
• 1949 Frederic Wertham first used the word “victimology” in a book Show of
Violence.
• 1957 Margery Fry proposes victim compensation in the London Times.
• 1958 Marvin Wolfgang studies homicide victims; uses the term “victim
precipitation”.
• 1963 New Zealand enacts the first Criminal Compensation Act.
• 1965 California is the first state in the USA to start Victim Compensation.
• 1966 Japan enacts Criminal Indemnity Law.
• 1966 USA starts to survey crime victims not reported to the police
• 1967 Canada creates a Criminal Compensation Injuries Act as does Cuba and
Switzerland.
• 1968 Stephan Schafer writes the first victimology textbook The Victim and His
Criminal.
• 1972 The first three victim assistance programmes are created in St. Louis,
Missouri, San Francisco,
California and in Washington, D. C.
• 1973 the first international symposium on victimology is held in Jerusalem,
Israel.
• 1974 the first police-based victim advocate project is started in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, USA.
• 1975 The first “Victim Rights’ Week” is organized by the Philadelphia District
Attorney,
TYPES OF VICTIMS
Von Hentig studied victims of homicide and said that the most likely type
of victim is the depressive type who is an easy target, careless, and
unsuspecting. The greedy type is easily duped because his or her motivation for
easy gain lowers his or her natural tendency to be suspicious. The wanton type
is particularly vulnerable to stresses that occur in a given period of time in the life
cycle, such as juvenile victims. The tormentor is the victim of an attack from the
target of his or her abuse, such as with battered women.

THEORIES IN VICTIMOLOGY

1. Luckenbill’s (1977) Situated Transaction Model

a. Insult
b. Clarification
c. Retaliation
d. Counter retaliation
e. Presence of weapon
f. Onlookers

2. Benjamin & Master’s Threefold Model

a. Precipitating factors – time, space, being in the wrong place at the wrong
time
b. Attracting factors – choices, opinions, lifestyles(daily routine activities)
c. Predisposing factors – socio-demographic characteristics such as being
male, being young, being poor, being minority, living in a squalor, being
single and being unemployed

3. Cohen & Felson’s (1979) Routine Activities Theory

a. Suitable Targets
b. Motivated offenders
c. Absence of guardians
 TOPIC 2: CRIME VICTIM

Legal Definition of Victim

A victim is defined as a person who has suffered physical or emotional
harm, property damage, or economic loss as a result of a crime.
The following people can exercise a victim’s rights if the victim is dead or
not able to act on his or her own behalf:
• A victim’s spouse
• A common law partner who has lived with the victim for at least one year
prior to the victim’s death
• A relative or dependant of the victim
• Anyone who has custody of the victim or of the victim’s dependant

A person who has been charged, convicted, or found not criminally

responsible due to a mental disorder for the offence that resulted in the
victimization is not defined as a victim. For example, if a parent has been charged
with abuse of a child, that parent will not be allowed to exercise the child victim’s
rights or their own rights as a parent.
A Victim’s Role in the Criminal Justice System
They play a vital role in the criminal justice process. Their testimony is a
very important part of the prosecutor’s case against the accused.

Who is a Crime Victim?

Crime Victim refers to any person, group or entity who has suffered injury or loss
due to illegal activity (man-made). The harm can be:
a. Physical – may include physical injury: generally involves physical pain
b. Psychological – increase in the belief of personal vulnerability
c. Economic – loss of property like family house, business establishment and
the like
Consequences of Crime
Emotional Distress as a result of crime is a recurring theme for all victims
of crime.
a. Fear,
b. Anxiety,
c. Nervousness,
d. Self-blame,
e. Anger,
f. Shame, and
g. Difficulty sleeping.
Models of Victimization
1. Victim of Crime Model (Man-made cause) – homicide, murder, rape, and
others.
a. Stage of Impact and Disorganization – attitude or activity of the victim
during and immediately following the criminal event.
b. Stage of recoil – occurs during which the victim formulates psychological
defences and deals worth conflicting emotions of guilt, anger,
acceptance and desire of revenge.
c. Reorganization stage – occurs during which the victim puts his/her life
back to normal daily living.
2. Victim of Disaster (Natural Cause)
a. Pre-impact Stage – state of the victim prior to being victimized.
b. Impact Stage – phase in which victimization occurs.
c. Post-impact stage – entails the degree and duration of the personal and
social disorganization following victimization
d. Behavioral Outcome – describes the victim’s adjustment to the
victimization experience.
KINDS OF CRIME VICTIM
1. Direct or Primary Crime Victim – directly suffers the harm or injury which
is physical, psychological, and economic losses.
 2. Indirect or Secondary Crime Victim – victim who experiences the harm
second hand, such as intimate partners or significant others of rape victims
or children of battered women. This may include family members of the
primary victims.
3. Tertiary Crime Victim – experience the harm vicariously, such as through
media accounts, the scared public or community due to watching news
regarding crime incidents.
WHAT IS VICTIM IMPACT PANEL
It is a form of community-based or restorative justice in which the crime
victims (or relatives and friends of deceased crime victims) meet with the
defendant after conviction to tell the convict about how the criminal activity
affected them, in hope of rehabilitation or deterrence.

MENDELSOHN’S TYPES OF VICTIMS

1. Innocent - portrayed as just being in the wrong place at the wrong time
2. Victim with only minor guilt was victimized through ignorance
3. Victim who is just as guilty as the offender and the voluntary victim.
Suicide case is common to this category
4. The victim guiltier than the offender was described as containing
persons who provoked the criminal or induced their own victimization
5. The most guilty victim “who is guilty alone” – an attacker killed by a would-
be victim in the act of defending himself is an example of this
6. The imaginary victim is suffering from mental disorders, or those victims
with extreme mental abnormalities
VON HENTIG’S TAXONOMY OF MURDER VICTIMS
1. Depressive Type – a victim who lacks ordinary prudence and discretion.
He is an easy target, carless, and unsuspecting. He is submissive by virtue
of emotional condition.
2. Greedy or gain/acquisitive type – a victim who lacks all normal inhibitions
and well-founded suspicions. He is easily duped because his or her
motivation for easy gain lowers his/her natural tendency to be suspicious.
 3. Wanton or Overly Sensual Type – a victim where “females foibles play a
role. This victim is particularly vulnerable to stresses that occur at a given
period of time in the life cycle, such as juvenile victims.
4. Tormentor Type – the victim of attack from the target of his or her abuse,
such as battered women.
5. Lonesome Type – this is the same with the acquisitive type of victim, by
virtue of wanting companionship or affection.
6. Heartbroken Type – the victim is emotionally disturbed by virtue of
heartaches and pain.

VON HENTIG’S CLASSES OF VICTIMS

1. The young – is weak by virtue of age and immaturity
2. The Female – the female is physically less powerful and is easily dominated
by male
3. The Old – the old is incapable of physical defense and the common object
of illegal scheme.
4. The Mentally Defective – is unable to think clearly
5. The Immigrant – is unsure of the rules of conduct in the surrounding
society.
6. The Minorities – racial prejudice may lead to victimization or unequal
treatment by the agency of justice

TOPIC 3: CRIME PREVENTION AND PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

CRIME PREVENTION AND PROTECTION

Anything that reduces the level of crime and/or the perceived fear of crime.

STAGES OF CRIME PREVENTION

1. Primary Prevention can be done in any context or location, whether a
residence, workplace, school, neighbourhood, community or society.
Theories of Primary Crime Prevention
 a. Social Disorganization Theory – people have little interest in
improving their neighbourhood and more of an interest in moving out,
leaving behind an area where crime could easily occur.
b. Defensible Space Theory – tends to focus on preventing easy access
and exit by potential criminals as well as the elimination of their hiding
places.
c. Routine Activity Theory – posits a high rate of potential victims
becoming an actual victims whenever 3 things occur in space: absence
of capable guardians, abundance of motivated offenders, and suitable
targets.
d. Broken Window Theory – signs of decay, disorder, and incivilities, such
as abandoned buildings, broken street lights, and graffiti all invite
potential criminals to an area.

2. Secondary Crime Prevention involves a focus upon specific problems,

places, and times, with the twin goals of reducing situation-specific
opportunities from crime and increasing the risks of committing crime. This
is called Situational Crime Prevention.
a. Problem-oriented policing where the problem drives a team solution
b. Hot spots analysis which targets certain areas for saturation or directed
patrol
c. Surveillance and target-hardening which increase the risk and effort
for committing crime
d. Property identification
e. Security lighting
f. Intrusion alarms
g. Neighbourhood watch
h. Citizen patrols
i. Protection personnel
j. Efforts on the part of the victims to change their lifestyles
A major criticism of secondary prevention is that it does not really
reduce crime, but displaces it to other areas.
3. Tertiary Prevention is a term taken from the field of medicine to describe
the procedures to be taken after a disease or threat is manifest. Such
procedures typically serve as deterrence or minimization of harm purpose
and are almost always characterized by being reactive, or after the fact.
Examples would include personal injury or property insurance as well as
self-protective measures engaged in by those who have been victimized
previously.
 TERMS TO PONDER
 CRIMINOLOGY – It is the entire body of knowledge regarding crimes, criminals
and the efforts of the society to prevent and suppress them. It is also a study of crime
as a social phenomenon. It includes within its scope the making of is a body of
knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It defined also as a
multidisciplinary laws, the breaking of law and the reactions towards the breaking of
laws.
 PAUL TOPINARD – He was the Anthropologist who introduced the word
criminology, sometime in 1889. He derived it from the Latin word “crimen”, which
can be translated to offense.
 R.A. 6506 – An act that created the Board of Criminologists of the Philippines and
for other purposes. It took effect on July 1, 1972.
 CRIMINOGENIC PROCESSES — explain human behavior and the experiences
which help the nature of a persons' personality as reaching mechanism. Factors and
experiences in connection thereto infringe differently upon different personalities
producing conflict which is the aspect of crime.
 CRIMINAL PSYCHODYNAMICS — study of mental process of criminals in action
 DEMENTIA PRAECOX — a collective term of mental disorder that begins shortly
after puberty and leads to general failure of the mental faculties with the
corresponding physiological impairment. Delusion — a false belief about self-cause
by morbidity, paranoia and dementia praecox.
 EROTOMANIA — a morbid propensity to love or make love; uncontrollable sexual
desire by members of either sex.
 EPISODIAC CRIMINAL — a non-criminal person who commits crime when under
emotional stress.
 LOGOMACY — a statement that we would have no crime if we have no criminal
law and that we can eliminate crimes by merely abolishing criminal law.
 KLEPTOMANIAC — an uncontrollable morbid propensity to steal. He is
pathological stealer. Masochism — a condition of sexual perversion in which a
person derives pleasure from being dominated or cruelly treated.
 MELANCHOLIA — a mental disorder characterized by excessive brooding and
depression of spirits. Megalomania- a mental disorder in which the subject thinks
himself ad great or exalted.
 ANTHROPOLOGY — science devoted to the study of mankind and its
development in relation to its physical, mental and cultural history.
 CRIMINALISTICS - the sum total application of all science in crime detection.
 CRIMINALIST – a person who is trained in science of application of instruments
and methods to the detection of crime
 CRIME- An act committed or omitted in violation of a law, forbidding or
commanding it. It is a generic term for offense, felony and delinquency.
 DELINQUENCY – An act or omission that violates simple rules and regulations,
punishable by a short period of imprisonment or a small fine.
 FELONY – An acts or omission punishable by the revised penal code.
 OFFENSE – is an act or omission punishable by special law.
 MISDEAMEMOR – is act or omission in violation of city or municipality ordinances
 DEVIANT BEHAVIOR – refers to a behavior which is outside the range of normal
societal toleration
 CRIMINAL – one who committed acts punishable by the laws and has been
convicted by final judgment.