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Victimology

Module description

This module will introduce you to the concept of “victim”. We will discuss the meaning of this term, and whether it should be extended to include “secondary victims” of crime such as relatives of primary victims and relatives of offenders. In the second part of the module, we will move on to consider the extent to which victims should be allowed to participate in the criminal justice process and engage with the various ways they do so in the UK, US and other countries. We will consider both involvement in the traditional court process and restorative justice, and discuss the pros and cons of such involvement for the process, the victim, the offender, and society as a whole.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide you with an introductory knowledge of victimology. It aims to introduce you to the concept of “victim” and encourage you to critically engage with it. More broadly, it aims to teach you about the various discourses surrounding victim participation and provide you with a working knowledge of the various ways in which victims may be involved in the criminal justice process. In doing so, it aims to help you develop your critical thinking skills and engage in debates about victimisation and victims' rights, offenders' right to fair trial, etc.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a clear and detailed understanding of victimology
• 2. Critically assess different ways of understanding the term “victim”.
• 3. Engage with a wide range of ways in which victims might be involved in the criminal justice system.
• 4. Critically engage with academic discourses about victim engagement.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of explanatory frameworks and their application to this subject area;
• 6. Demonstrate a clear and detailed understanding of different sources of data and critically assess their reliability and utility in debating whether victim involvement in the criminal justice process is a positive development
• 7. Clearly present research and policy in your arguments.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Present an argument orally and in writing in a clear, coherent, effective and organized manner;
• 9. Analyze and critically assess sources of qualitative and quantitative data;
• 10. Demonstrate you can work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specific task.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• What is a Victim? - An introduction to the module and the “core” definitions of “victim”.
• Beyond the Primary Victim – In what sense might relatives of primary victims and relatives of offenders be seen as victims of crime? Is bringing them within the definition of “victim” useful?
• “Victim-Centered Justice” - An overview of UK policies that seek to improve the experiences of primary victims and involve them in the criminal justice process.
• Beyond the UK – How are victims of crime involved in justice processes outside the UK – such as in restorative justice processes?
• “Victim-Centered Justice?” - To what extent should victims of crimes be involved in the criminal justice process? Does this involvement have an implication for the fairness of the offender's trial?

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Walklate, S. (1989), Victimology – The Victim and the Criminal Justice Process
• Christie, N. (1986), 'The Ideal Victim', in From Crime Policy to Victim Policy, E. A. Fattah (ed.)
• Davis, R., Taylor, B. and Bench, S. (1995), 'Impact of Sexual and Nonsexual Assault on Secondary Victims', Violence and Victims, 10(1): 73-84.
• Strang, H. (2002), Repair or Revenge: Victims and Restorative Justice

Key words search

Victims, victimology, criminal justice