Victimology is a very intriguing Criminal Justice course. It is like no others and will open up the eyes of anyone, even those that may know it all. Victimology is a study of victimization which encompasses:
- The relationship between victims and offenders
- Victim interaction with the Criminal Justice system
- police
- courts
- corrections
- Victim involvement with other organizations and social entities
- communities
- media
- shelters and rehabilitation institutions
By no means is this an extensive list. If anything, it is just the beginning. You will delve into deeper realms of victimization. I know that this course will keep you on your toes and that you will truly enjoy it, no matter what background you have. Here are some other concepts you will explore:
- What is victimology? – Interesting perspectives have been developed on what victimology really is.
- Sources of information about crime victims – This step will give you the insights to the crime and victimization reporting entities. This is where law enforcement, media, and other organizations get there data about crimes and victims. For example, you may want to know how many homicides have been perpetrated in your state, county, city, or even your neighborhood. And, you won’t have to wonder where does the local news get their sources, because you’ll know yourself.
- Victim contribution to their own victimization – This one seems self explanatory, but carries many interesting surprises.
- There are some victims that may somehow contribute to their own demise. Contrary to the popular belief, you will also learn that not all victims contribute to their own victimization. Different thresholds of victim contribution will be explored. Myths will be dispelled and you may find scratching your head while evaluating your own beliefs.
- Also, not all victims are truly victims, but rather the criminal who got victimized himself by the victim or potential victim. This one was fun.
I really enjoyed this class and applaud its existence in the Criminal Justice curriculum. After completing this class I have become a better judge of character, situations, and life in general. I can’t promise that you will have the same experience, but I can assure you that this Victimology will open up your mind.
This course may be under a different, but similar, name at your online learning institution. If you want to get an early head start you might want to rent or buy a book by Andrew Karmen titled: Crime Victims: An Introduction To Victimology. It is one of the best write-ups and the book is easy to read. Make sure to get the latest edition. Good luck!
You might also like:
- Victimology: The Three Ideological Tendencies of Victimology
- Victimology: Themes, Patterns, Victim Portrayal, and The Media
- Victimology: The Viano Model for Journalistic Mistreatment
- Victimology: High-Risk Crime Victims Resemble Crime Perpetrators
- Criminal Justice Online Courses
- Youth Crime Problems: Criminal Justice Course
- Is Crime an Inescapable, Social Phenomenon in the U.S. Today?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am really interested to an online master degree in victimology, i am a professional prosecution’s lawyer working very closely with criminal victims especially genocide victims in Rwanda. I would like to improve my skills and knowledge about crimes victims. I am very pleased by the comments above on how interesting the victimology is. Please help me to enroll in this course for a master degree in any University or law school no matter if it is under a different name within the institution. I will really appreciate your assistance.
Mugeyo,
Victimology is very rarely a degree track. So if you want to study Victimology with keen emphasis you should consider a psychology degree with victim issues in mind. In the criminal justice curriculum Victimology is usually a series of 1-3 classes and you will get information about victims and perpetrators in a more general way.
As for helping you out, I really can’t do more than to recommend using this site’s resources – Criminal Justice Schools by State (on top) – or using the search engines, like Google, to look for specific programs. Each school has its own criteria for their applicants and each school makes the decision whether or not to accept a student to the program. I have provided links to each college and university on my site, that way you can check them out. Keep in mind that many colleges and universities accept students from other countries and give information or help in getting International students to United States. Good luck with your search.
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