When it comes to criminology, we tend to think of the crime itself, the perpetrator, and the motivation behind it.¹ These elements, among others, are crucial to everything from crime prevention to policy change—all in an effort to create a safer and more just society.

But a lesser-known category in the field of criminology also plays a pivotal role in crime reduction and reform: victimology.² Characterized as the scientific study of victims and the causes of victimization, victimology shapes how victims are treated, how people can avoid victimization, and restorative justice as a whole.

Whether you’re exploring ways to expand your career or planning your educational journey, we have the information you need on this fascinating topic. Read on as we explore the nuances of victimology, the history behind it, and its growing importance in forensic behavioral science and forensic psychology.  

What Is Victimology?

Put simply, victimology is a branch of criminology that focuses on the person or persons who were harmed in a crime.³ In doing so, victimologists gain critical insights into:

• The experience of victims – According to the FBI, a crime occurs every 26.3 seconds.⁴ Murders, robberies, rapes, motor vehicle thefts, aggravated assaults, and other crimes all happen at an alarming rate and take a huge toll on their targets. Victimology seeks to understand this toll on a deeper level, in part to build and enhance the psychological, legal, and financial support available to the crime victim.
• The offender-victim relationship – Victimology also aims to understand the dynamics between the offender and the victim (or victims). This may involve investigating how the offender knew the victim, the nature of the crime, and, when applicable, the possibility of reconciliation.
• Crime prevention strategies – The field of victimology further examines why some people (or groups) are targeted more than others and the circumstances that facilitated the crime. (One example from a pool of many: a woman who left her car unlocked in an unsafe neighborhood and returned to find it stolen.) By seeing this criminal behavior in a clearer light, victimology helps experts create strategies that decrease vulnerabilities, improve public safety measures, tackle risk factors, and raise crime awareness.

What’s more, victimology investigates how victims are treated in the aftermath of a crime. This may include the level of care they receive from the victim support services just mentioned, but also throughout legal processes, in interactions with law enforcement, and by the media.

Historical Development of Victimology

Victimology may seem like a fresh concept to some. While it’s a somewhat new field in the grand scheme of things, the term was coined in 1947 by Benjamin Mendelsohn—a French-Israeli attorney who was intrigued by the relationship between criminals and victims.⁵

Ultimately, he identified six unique “types” of victims:

1. Completely innocent victim, or a victim who did not contribute to the crime and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, or those who are victimized by nature of who they are (such as a child, or an elderly adult).
2. Victims with minor guilt, or victims who have a hand in the crime in some way, such as going to a nightclub notorious for conflict and violence.
3. Victim as guilty as offender, or victims who actively participated in the crime, like aiding in a robbery.
4. Victims more guilty than offenders, or victims who “provoke” their own victimization.
5. Most guilty victim, or the victim that’s harmed while committing a crime or as a result of it.
6. Imaginary victim, or an individual who falsified their own victimization.

The Evolution of Victimology 

As you might imagine, Mendelsohn’s claims sparked a great deal of controversy (and they continue to do so today). And yet, his theories inspired other scholars, including Stephen Schafer and Hans von Hentig, to explore why some people are more susceptible to victimization.

Now, it’s believed this may be due to: ^6,7

• Race
• Age
• Gender
• Socioeconomic status
• Lifestyle factors, habits, and routines⁸
• Situational factors
• Mental health issues

Mendelsohn’s work also marked a significant shift toward examining not just the criminal behind the offense but also the experiences of the victim who suffered. This led to increased sympathy for victims and some of the most important social movements of the 20th century, including the Women’s Movement and the Civil Rights Movement. Further, it laid the foundations for the victims’ rights movement and the creation of victim services agencies.

Today, victimology is seen as an essential component of the criminal justice system, and one of the keys to keeping both crime at bay and solid protections for survivors in place.

Key Concepts in Victimology

Victimology has evolved considerably over the last several decades. It moved past the typologies established by Mendelsohn and other pioneers in the field to concentrate more on the victim’s viewpoint and to improve their experience with the criminal justice system.

Nonetheless, older theories continue to inform the core concepts of modern victimology. These include:

• The Victim Precipitation Theory – This controversial theory suggests that some victims are partially responsible for the harm done against them, whether through their personal traits, behaviors, or interactions with the perpetrator.⁹
• Routine Activities Theory – First introduced in the 1970s, this concept argues that particular routines and interactions can contribute to a crime or make it possible. An example of this may be leaving your door unlocked in a high-crime neighborhood, or taking the same path on your routine evening run—both of which may be “opportunities” for criminals.
• Rational Choice Theory – The Rational Choice Theory suggests that people, including victims, make calculated decisions centered around a situation or crime’s benefits and costs. Think of a potential victim choosing to engage in risky behavior (such as walking solo at night in an unsafe neighborhood) or an employee who chooses to steal from his company despite the potential legal consequences.

Naturally, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the main concepts of victimology. But these theories, as well as others, help us obtain a more comprehensive perspective on why crimes occur in the first place and how they can be prevented. Moreover, they guide how we can respond best to survivors and offer them victim facilitation and the trauma-informed support they may need.

The Impact of Victimologists on Policy and Practice

Violent crime in the United States has been on a downward trend for the last three decades.¹⁰ However, to a victim of any crime, whether it’s identity theft, violence, or robbery, it doesn’t matter how many similar crimes have been committed.

Victims may experience several challenges, ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to securing legal representation and receiving financial compensation.

Victimologists (and those in the victim services arena) have long worked to address this on the individual level and in the larger context of policy and practice. They did the groundwork for the creation of some of the most vital victim compensation programs and advocacy groups in existence, including:

• Parents of Murdered Children
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving
• Families and Friends of Missing Persons

Further, the field of victimology and the victims’ rights movement it inspired resulted in several pieces of groundbreaking legislation, such as the Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act—an act that funds a handful of services designed to assist crime victims, including child abuse treatment programs, rape crisis centers, and domestic violence shelters.¹¹ This devotion to improving the lives of victims continues today.

The Role of Victimologists

Victimologists serve a crucial role in the criminal justice and legal systems. This includes using the science of victimology to get involved in:

• Assisting with civil and criminal investigations
• Constructing victim profiles and victim-assistance programs
• Researching issues such as repeat victimization 
• Designing and providing interventions
• Developing policies
• Acting as an advocate for survivors and ensuring victims are treated with dignity and respect throughout court proceedings
• Identifying risk factors and developing risk-reduction blueprints
• Creating strategies for the prevention of secondary victimization (or how a survivor may suffer from further damage in response to how they’re treated by institutions, law enforcement, and other individuals in the wake of a crime)
• Boosting support services

In exploring how victimologists operate, one might also consider adjacent roles and careers in the field of criminal justice. For instance, learning how to become a forensic scientist or understanding what a forensic psychologist does can offer additional pathways for those interested in blending scientific analysis with victim support.

How Can You Become a Victimologist—and What Qualities Do You Need?

Generally speaking, a victimologist, or anyone who works in the victim services field may need to hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in behavioral or social science.¹² Some professionals might also choose to pursue an advanced practice certificate in forensic victimology or an advanced degree in the subject such as forensic psychology.

While sharp research skills are central to succeeding as a victimologist, soft skills—such as empathy and excellent interpersonal and communication skills—are also valuable.¹³

Interested in an Advanced Behavioral Science Degree?

Victimology plays a major part in crime prevention and restorative justice. It influences how survivors are treated in the wake of a crime and the services that can encourage their recovery.

If you’re dedicated to contributing to a safer and more just world, exploring the discipline of victimology may be the piece of your educational puzzle you’ve been searching for—and Alliant International University can help you find it. The master’s of science in forensic behavioral science with a concentration in forensic victimology was created for working professionals who want to gain a deeper understanding of offender-victim dynamics and safety planning.

Learn more about the part you can play in a more secure world by requesting more information today.

Sources:

1. Desai, Sejal. “The Role of Criminology in Reforming the Criminal Justice System.” LA Progressive, March 26, 2024. https://www.laprogressive.com/.  Accessed June 24, 2024.
2. “Introduction to Victimology .” SAGE, 2018. https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-assets/83271_book_item_83271.pdf. Accessed June 24, 2024.
3. “Meaning and Definition of Victimology.” Law Aimers, July 27, 2023. https://lawaimers.com/meaning-and-definition-of-victimology/#google_vignette. Accessed June 24, 2024.
4. “Crime Clock.” FBI, September 11, 2018. https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/crime-clock. Accessed June 24, 2024.
5. “Crime Victim.” Crime Victim – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics, 2017. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/crime-victim. Accessed June 24, 2024.
6.  “Theoretical Perspectives of Victimology  and Critical Research.” Office for Victims of Crime. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.ncjrs.gov/ovc_archives/nvaa/ch03.htm. Accessed June 24, 2024.
7. “Psychology.” Vaia. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.vaia.com/en-us/explanations/psychology/forensic-psychology/victimology/. Accessed June 24, 2024.
8. “A Short Note on Victimology – Jurisinsider.” jurisinsider.in, May 16, 2024. https://jurisinsider.in/a-short-note-on-victimology/. Accessed June 24, 2024.
9. “Section 8.2: Theories of Victimization.” Fundamentals of Criminology, February 1, 2024. https://docmckee.com/oer/criminology/section-8-2-theories-of-victimization/. Accessed June 24, 2024.
10. Thomsen, Ian. “US Homicides and Violent Crime Overall Are down Significantly, According to FBI Data.” Northeastern Global News, June 22, 2024. https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/06/20/magazine/us-murder-rates-2024/. Accessed June 24, 2024.
11. “Victims of Crime Act.” NNEDV, August 31, 2022. https://nnedv.org/content/victims-of-crime-act/. Accessed June 24, 2024.
12. “Victim Services Careers: FBIJOBS.” FBI Jobs. https://fbijobs.gov/victim-services. Accessed June 24, 2024.
13. How to become a victim advocate | indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-victims-advocate. Accessed June 24, 2024.

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