The victims were merely seen as the witness or the plaintiff.
The discipline of Victimology was started by
Von Hentig
Mendelsohn
Their discipline was mainly focused on
The characteristics of victims
The interactions and relationships between victims and offenders
How the victim’s behaviour precipitated or facilitated the crime.
3 VICTIMOLOGY PARADIGMS ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFENDER
AND VICTIM
CONSERVATIVE RADICAL CRITICAL
LAW-AND-ORDER VICTIMOLOGY VICTIMOLOGY
Offender is blamed Diffusion of roles Society is blamed.
between victim and
offender.
Victim is blameless The offender abuses his Offender and victim are
power blameless.
Victim not entirely
blameless
Victim suffers harm, loss, or Focuses on dynamics Society is blamed and
injury between offender and regarded as an offender for
victim & what led to why individuals commit
victimisation. crime.
It`s used in United
Nations Declaration
(UNDPSVCAP)
The need for victim rights is The victim rights are People commit crime based
emphasised. important as long as they on poor, poverty, social
don’t interfere with inequality, and deprivation.
offender`s rights
• Viano created a 4-stage approach that incorporates the dynamics of victimisation
• He is of the opinion that a person has pass to all stage to be regarded as a victim.
• Viano’s process approach:
1. A person is injured or suffers at the hand of another person or institution
Domestic Abuse of husband beating a woman because she grew out of
such background. Abuse/Assault /injure
2. The injured person perceives the suffering as unjust/ underserving and a
victim.
Culture believes that a husband might beat his wife. Injured realise
that she is injured and it is unjust.
3. The person looks for recognition (In family, friends, CJS) that he or she has
been a victim
A woman goes to police station for help on domestic abuse and the
police tell him to go home and sort himself out. Speaks up on the
injury.
4. When other people recognise and acknowledge that the person has been
victimised, the person can be regarded as a victim.
Secondary victimisation
• It is instances where individuals who already experienced victimisation are
victimised again.
By police, family members, doctors, nurses, lawyers, etc.
Example: When someone is raped, goes to police and they tell him to man-up. When
the family blames her attire. A man domestically abused.
Repeat victimisation
• Where the same people are victims in more than one criminal incident. Victim
Repeatedly be a victimised.
Being Hijacked in Marlboro and later in Pretoria/ woman sexual
offended for the second time
• Factor that leads to repeat victimisation: security, access, place, exposure.
instances where victim encourages offender’s behaviour.
Types of Precipitation
Active precipitation: Occurs when victims act provocatively, use threats or
insulting words or attack first.
E.g., initiating a fight by provoking someone(swearing) and goes to
police.
Passive precipitation: Victim exhibits some personal characteristics which
unknowingly threatens or encourages the offender.
E.g., unconsciously having a personality trait that antagonises the offender
(jealous brother).
Facilitation Impunity
Where victims make it easier for Where victims vulnerably making it easy
criminal to commit a crime for the offender to get away with the
crime (mostly because they don’t have
access to the law).
for example: by forgetting to lock a door. for example: a sex worker’s client who
refuses to pay for her services or assaults
her as sex working is illegal/ Drug seller
beaten.
CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL APPROACHES AND PERSPECTIVES IN VICTIMOLOGY
Theoretical approaches in victimology
1. Lifestyle/Exposure Model Of Personal Victimisation: Hindelang, Gotfredson And
Garofalo (1978)
2. Routine Activities Approach: Cohen And Felson (1979)
3. Opportunity Model Of Cohen, Kleugel And Land (1981)
4. Differential Risk Model – Fattah 1991
5. Extended Low Self-Control Theory: SCHRECK (1999)
6. Extended Control Balance Theory: PIQUERO AND HICKMAN (2003)
7. Other Theoretical Developments
1. Lifestyle/exposure model of personal victimisation – Hindelang, Gottfredson en
Garofalo (1978) in 8 American Cities)
• Based on the notion that the likelihood of victimisation depends on lifestyle.
› Lifestyle –is the routine daily activities both at work and leisure.
• Younger persons, males and unattached persons to more time spent outside
› It leads to them being victimised.
• They get victimised based on their demographic characteristic
› age, gender, marital status, education, occupation & income and race
(lesser extent)
• the more time you spend with non-family members, the higher the risk.
Prerequisites for victimisation (Hindelang)
• An offender and a victim meet at a particular time and place.
• offender regards the victim as a suitable object of victimisation
• An offender use violence or threat of violence.
• An offender regards the circumstances as advantageous
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller William1205. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.54. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.