What does victimology mean? Trace the origin of the study of victims of crime from the early criminologists and victimologists, while focusing on the issues of victim blaming and the contribution of crime victims to their own victimization

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Victimology is defined as the study of crime victims, the reasons for their victimization, and the analysis of how society and specifically the criminal justice system treat them. The discussion of the origin should include the following criminologists and victimologists: von Hentig, Mendelsohn, Schafer and Fattag. When addressing victim blaming and the contribution of crime victims to their own victimization, students should address some components of the following: 1) von Hentig addressed vulnerability due to age, gender, race, mental capacity, acquisitive, wanton, dull normals, or deranged. 2) Mendelsohn combined victim culpability and legal issues and forwarded six levels of victim complicity which were the completely innocent victim, victims of minor guilt, victims as guilty as the offenders, victims more guilty than the offenders, most guilty victims and imaginary victims. The complicity was based upon their own contribution to the criminal act, whether knowingly or not. 3) Schafer's seven categories included four which had no victim culpability, but the provocative victim, and the precipitative victim had some responsibility. He also included the self-victimizing group which had total victim responsibility. 4) Fattag also created a classification scheme that included nonparticipating victims, latent or predisposed victims, provocative victims, participating victims and false victims.