The document discusses the history and development of victimology. It began as the study of individuals harmed by criminals and has evolved into the scientific study of victims and victimization. There are two main types: general victimology which studies victimization from all causes, and interactionist victimology which focuses on victims of crime and their role in legal proceedings. Key figures who contributed to the field include Hans Von Hentig who categorized victims and studied their role in crimes, and Marvin Wolfgang whose empirical research supported victim precipitation theories. The document introduces forensic victimology as the objective study of victims to gain a better understanding of crimes, criminals, and legal issues. Its purpose is to assist investigations and courts by providing context around victims and crimes

1. Forensic Victimology
2nd Edition
Chapter One: Victimology - A Brief
History with an Introduction to
Forensic Victimology

2. History of Victimology
• In modern criminal justice system, the word victim
has come to describe any person who has
experienced injury, loss, or hardship due to the illegal
action of another individual, group, or organization.
• The term victimology first appeared in 1949 and was
used to describe the study of individuals harmed by
criminals.
• In modern usage, the term victimology generally
refers to the scientific study of victims and
victimization, including the relationships between
victim and offender, investigators, courts, corrections,
media, and social movements.

3. History of Victimology
• Jan Van Dijk (1999) proposed that there are two
types of victimology:
1. General victimology
– Studies victimity in the broadest sense, including
those that have been harmed by accidents,
natural disasters, war, etc.
– Focuses on the treatment, prevention, and
alleviation of the consequences of being
victimized, regardless of the cause

4. History of Victimology
2. Interactionist (or penal) victimology
– Combines issues concerning the causation of
crimes with those relating to the victim’s role in
the criminal proceedings, where victims are only
those who become such as a result of crime
– Focuses on advocacy for victims

5. History of Victimology
• Jerin and Moriarty (1998) contend that there are
three distinct historical eras defining the victims’
role within systems of justice:
1. The Golden Age
– Existed prior to written laws and established
governments, tribal law prevailed
– Victims played a direct role in determining
punishments for the unlawful actions that others
committed against them or their property
– Retribution was the resolution for criminal
matters

6. History of Victimology
2. The Dark Age
– Resulted from the emergence of structured local
governments and the development of legal
statutes
– Offenses were viewed as perpetrated against the
laws of the king or state, not just against the
victim or the victim’s family
– Focus shifted towards offender punishments and
rights, as opposed to victim rights and restoration

7. History of Victimology
3. The Reemergence of the victim
– Realization that victims were being overlooked as
a source of information about crime and criminal
– Studying victims led to the birth of traditional
victimology as a discrete scientific endeavor

8. Key Figures
• The origins of scientific victimology can be
attributed to the following key figures in
criminology:
• Hans Von Hentig (1887-1974)
• Sought to develop crime prevention strategies
• Determined that certain victim characteristics played
a role in shaping the crimes suffered
• Believed that some victims contributed to their own
victimization by virtue or many converging factors,
not all of which were in their control
• Classified victims into one of 13 categories

9. Key Figures
1. The Young
2. Females
3. The Old
4. The Mentally Defective and Deranged
5. Immigrants
6. Minorities
7. Dull Normals
8. The Depressed
9. The Acquisitive
10. The Wanton
11. The Lonesome of Heartbroken
12. The Tormentor
13. The Blocked, Exempted, or Fighting

10. Key Figures
• Benjamin Mendelsohn
• Became interested in the correlations between
rapists and their victims
• Developed the term victim precipitation
• Developed a typology that categorizes the extent to
which a victim is capable of his or her own demise
(focusing on situational factors)
1. Completely innocent victims
2. Victim due to ignorance
3. Voluntary victim
4. Victim more guilty than the offender
5. Most guilty victim
6. Simulating or imaginary victim

11. Key Figures
• Stephen Schafer
• Published the first textbook on the subject of
victimology
• Interviewed criminals and aimed to build upon the
previous typologies, focusing on victim culpability
• Proposed seven types of victim responsibility
1. Unrelated victims
2. Provocative victims
3. Precipitative victims
4. Biologically weak victims
5. Socially week victims
6. Self-victimizing
7. Political victims

12. Key Figures
• Marvin E. Wolfgang
• First presented empirical research findings as
support for his theories of victimology
• Presented his study of police homicide records,
which concluded that over a quarter of the
homicides in the city of Philadelphia between 1948-
1952 involved an element of victim contribution and
participation

13. Forensic Victimology: An
Introduction
• Forensic victimology is the objective study of
victims, with a focus on impartially and completely
describing all aspects of their life and lifestyle in
order to gain a better understanding of how they
came to be victimized, how the crime took place,
and their relationship with the offender.

14. Forensic Victimology: An
Introduction
• Purpose
• The purpose of forensic victimology is aimed at
accurately, critically, and objectively describing the
victim in order to better understand victims, crime,
criminals, and forensic issues.
• Forensic victimologists serve investigations and
court proceedings by endeavoring to:
– Assist in understanding elements of crime
– Assist in developing a timeline
– Define the suspect pool
– Provide investigative suggestions
– Assist with crime reconstruction

15. Forensic Victimology: An
Introduction
• Continued:
– Assist with contextualizing allegations of
victimizations
– Assist with the development of offender modus
operandi
– Assist with the development of offender motive
– Assist with case linkage
– Assist with public safety response
– Educate the court

16. Forensic Victimology: An
Introduction
• Philosophy
• The philosophy behind studying victims in
investigative and forensic contexts is that a complete
understanding of victims and their circumstances will
allow for a comprehensive and correct interpretation
of the nature of their harm and loss.
• It also provides insight into the plans and motives of
those who committed the offense against them.

17. Forensic Victimology: An
Introduction
• Aim
• The aim of forensic victimology is to assist in
providing informed investigations, to require
scientific examinations of victim evidence that is
intended for court, and to result in more informed
legal outcomes.