Robert Elias' book, 'Victims Still';, presents a very controversial stance that the victims' movement is, perhaps, not at all. Elias suggests that all the programs, laws, and institutions that have been created in the 1980s and 1990s have done absolutely nothing to help the victim. Elias also offers explanations as to how the victims' movement doesn't help victims, what the real causes of crime are, and how crime should be controlled.
The victims' movement that sprung up during the 1980s and early 1990s seemed to be a step in the right direction for helping the victims instead of the offenders. However, as pointed in 'Victims Still';, this movement did not and has not helped the victim. The victim movement consisted of new legislation, institutions, and programs designed to help the victim. But when scrutinizing the policies, one the notices that many of the policies are deceiving. Rights that are supposedly being given to the victim are just rights that have been taken away from offenders only to strengthen the rights of the officials.
Many of the programs designed to help victims are selective when it comes to which victims it will help. For example, there are some rehabilitation programs for drug users that refuse to take in pregnant women. However, when they have a child that is born hooked on drugs, they will be arrested for child abuse. The selectiveness of the programs leads to the policies that, in essence, do not work.
The selectiveness of the programs ties in wi...
Victimology is the scientific study of the physical, emotional, and financial harm people suffer from illegal activities. A common struggle Victimologists face is determining who the victim is. In general, crimes don 't have an “ideal victim”. The term ideal victims refer to someone who receives the most sympathy from society (Christie, 2016). An example of this would be a hardworking, honest man who on his way to work, had his wallet taken by force. Most people in society would have sympathy for him. He spent his life making an honest living to earn what he has and was a victim of a robbery. Victimologists study the interactions victims have with criminals, society, and the criminal justice system (Karmen, 2015). According to (Karmen, 2015)
I take into consideration that instead of authorizing the state or professional to ratify and speak their mind, the most relevance to a case the court should take into consideration of what the victim seems fit as a fair punishment or payment in forms of restitution, whether it is labor or monetary to then go along with the judge 's sentence. “The Charter, apart from other things, sets forth that the victim should enjoy the same rights as the culprit. But it is not enough to put this in writing, the law has to be changed in such a way that the victim is not only not deprived of his say, but has rights at least equal to those enjoyed by the accused”. I agree with the previous quote due to the fact that victims should not be deprived from speech and equality. I believe that by having the original parties engaged rather than being driven to the side, society will be more concerned to make sure that everyone is given fair, equal and consistent resolution to a conflict. This would establish that the neighbourhood and state have a set of shared values and goals that they are working towards to support social order. “At present, the role of a victim of a crime is only at the periphery of the criminal justice delivery system. Once the first information is furnished, the only stage at which the victim comes into the picture is when she is called upon to give evidence in court by the prosecution. The victim virtually
Discuss the nature of victim participation in the criminal justice process. Provide your assessment on the adequacy of this participation.
Elias, R. (1986). Rising Stars: Victims and Victimology. The Politics of Victimization: Victims, Victimology and Human Rights. New York. Oxford University Press, 9-26.
The main victims of genocide during the Holocaust were the Jewish; however, they were not the only ones. Gypsies, also known as the Roma, also made up a large portion of the casualties that occurred in concentration camps. This innocent group of people, who move from place to place, who listened to different music and had different morals and beliefs, were also victims of the mass genocide led by Adolf Hitler. They were targeted and seen as “unhygienic, antisocial nuisances” (Tarr) and were a threat to the Nazis’ ideal German society. And since the Nazis thought they must do something about the Gypsies, this is what they did, all starting in 1899 (Rosenburg): they pinned each gypsy down by making identification papers for each individual, categorizing them by hair and eye color and cranium size, fingerprinted each person, made family trees of the gypsy families, then forced them into settling permanently into flats causing them to sell their caravans and belongings, forcibly sterilizing some individuals, and eventually sending them to concentration camps and murdering them.
Since the beginning of our nation, victims have always existed, and the categories of victims and types of suffering have expanded greatly. At our creation, more obvious examples of victims stood out, such as the Native Americans who first inhabited this land. The colonists may even consider themselves victims to the Crown. As we move throughout our history we continue to see widely-known examples of people suffering, from the disgusting era of slavery to the horrific terrorist attacks on our country's soil at Pearl Harbor and on 9/11. However, it was the day-to-day victimization that had yet to be known or explored. This speaks to the crimes occurring every day in our nation that result in the short-term and long-term suffering of victims.
There are better ways to punish criminals and protect society than mass incarceration. The state and local governments should be tough on crime, but “in ways that emphasize personal responsibility, promote rehabilitation and treatment, and allow for the provision of victim restitution where applicable” (Alec, 2014). The government also succeeds in overseeing punishment but fails to “…take into account the needs of offenders, victims, and their communities.” (Morris, 2002: Pg. 1 and 2). Alternatives to incarceration, such as sentencing circles, victim offender mediation, and family conferences, can successfully hold criminals responsible while allowing them a chance to get “back on their feet”. Research has proven that rehabilitation has lowered the rate of re-offenders, reducing the crime rate, protecting communities and also saves a lot of
First we need to look at what is Victimology and where did it come from? The origins of Victimology can be traced back to the 1940’s to the 1950’s and early 1960’s it erupted after World War II to seek and understand the relationship between criminal and victim. It began when criminologist had came together to examine the victims of crime at a university. ‘Criminology is the science upon which victimology is founded’ (Wallace; Roberson 2) and when two criminologists, “The founding fathers of Victimology” Mendelsohn and Von Hentig first began the field of victimology by using charts and analysis of different types of crimes of victims. They studied the behaviors and vulnerabilities of victims like, rape victims and murder victims. How some of the ways that some of us can relate to of what a victim is. As Wallace; Roberson writes:
What is a victim? Especially a victim of crime, according to Encarta Dictionary, a victim is a person that is harm, wounded or killed as a result of a crime, an accident or an event. Being a crime victim can be very upsetting; it comes with a large percentage of negativity. In an article reported by Erika V. Cox, it explains that a large number of crime victims seem to suffer after the actual crime has been committed. For example victims go through several procedures such as interrogation and question; that can make them recollect the terrible situation that has occurred to them. (Cox, 2006) At times people suggest and tend to blame the victims on how there is a reason that caused the situation or did something to intensify the possibility of becoming a victim of crime. Throughout time victims can experience anxiety and stress due to how severe the crime was. (Cox, 2006) A victim can be able to encounter mental and physical problems and not involving the nervous tension of lost income due to the criminal justice courts. Several victims suffer economic destitution because of the fact that they have to arrive in court to testify. Aside from income, a victim can suffer both long term and short term conditions. A long term physical state can be getting shot or stab and becoming paralyzed. A short term problem can be post traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks and difficulty living a normal life. And after it all visiting psychologist and physical therapy professions is not cheap. Crime victims suffer and stumble upon many complications and costs and it can be really difficult for someone. (Cox, 2006)
A victim is someone who has been harmed whether its physically, mentally, or emotionally, sometimes even all three. A victim is someone who has had a crime committed against them. Whether it’s something nonviolent like theft of identity or very violent like rape or murder. Victimization doesn’t always stop after the crime has been solved and the offender has been punished. The mentality of a victim can drastically change for the rest of their lives. Whether it’s being scared to walk alone or waking up screaming in the night due to Post Traumatic Stress disorder. In order to help monitor crime we do have the National Crime Victimization Survey or NCVS. Which is information and statistics reported annually based on a sample. It shows characteristics of crimes, the frequencies of crimes, consequences of victimization, whether the crime was reported to the police or not, and the victims experience with the justice system. The report also shows victims
Generally, the study of crime mainly focused on the offender until quite recently. In fact, Shapland et al (1985) described the victim as ‘the forgotten man’ of the criminal justice system and ‘the non-person in the eyes of the professional participants’. A new perspective was brought with victimology, an expanding sub-discipline of crimin...
From the origins of criminal victimization, we begin with blaming the offended. (Silverii). Still what is more baffling is to question whether or not it is one's duty to make sure victims won't be victimized again or if victims of a crime that are unreported should even be considered victims. There are three main issues that are provided through victimology and these are context, connections, and investigative direction (Turvey). Most victims are not just victims they're perceived by a criminal as an ideal victim. An ‘ideal victim’ is someone who has played no part in their victimization by an offender who was solely responsible for the incident. In the early 1970s, research by the National Opinion Research Center and the President's Commission on Law Enforcement, and the Administration of Justice indicated that many crimes were not reported to police. A lot of times victims are not prepared for the insensitive and unpleasant treatment they may incur from the police, hospitals, and judicial system. In response, the U.S. Census Bureau began conducting the annual National Crime Victimization Survey in 1973. The survey provides the largest national forum for victims to describe the impact of crime and characteristics of violent offenders. The data includes type of crime, month, time, and location of the crime; relationship between victim and offender; characteristics of the offender; self-protective actions taken by the victim during the incident and results of those actions; consequences of the victimization; type of property lost; whether the crime was reported to the police and reasons for reporting or not reporting; and offender use of weapons, drugs, and alcohol.
Christie, N. (1986) ‘The ideal victim’, in E. Fattah, (Ed.), From Crime Policy to Victim Policy: Reorienting the Justice System New York: St Matins Press
A victimless crime is a consensual illegal act lacking any complaining parties. No one is directly harmed, or if harm occurs, it is negated by the informed consent of willing participants. It has been suggested however the actual is indirect and can take on various forms. But that since the targeted individual consented to participate in one of these acts, the attribution of victimization is no longer considered. Victimless crimes may include: public drunkenness; vagrancy; various sexual acts that usually involve consenting adults (fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality, and prostitution); obscenity; pornography; drug offenses; abortion; gambling; and juvenile status offenses (offenses that would not be criminal if the actor were an adult).
Victimology is the scientific study of victimization and is an issue that affects millions of Americans each year. Anyone is at risk to be general target, but some people share similar traits and many criminologists seek to explain the facts that define the relationship between offender and the victim. This involves the study or investigation into the relationship type and level between the offenders and the victims of the crimes (Hagan, 2013). It works to create linkage between the criminal justice system and the victim to become a voice to advocate and secure justice for the victim. Most often violent crime is planned and executed by a person who is close to the victim. Victims are placed into four categories of victimization; The Victim