Victimology in United States
Victimology can be defined as the study of aspects of victimization. The study entails the psychological
effects on the victims, the relationships between the offenders and the victims and the eventual
interactions between these offenders and the criminal justice systems. In the wider scope, this study also
touches on the interactions of the victims with other social groups around including social movements,
media and businesses. It is myopic to think that victimology is only restricted to crime victims alone. It
also encompasses victims from other forms of human rights violations. Human rights violation and other
forms of crime have been recorded in the United States of America. In-depth analysis of this trend is
crucial to set forth the measures required in containing such vices.
Extent, Theories, and Factors of Victimization
Victimization has been found to have far fetching negative effects on the lives of those offended.
An issue such as rape, which is a form of intense victimization, traumatizes the victims to extent
of some wanting to take away their lives. The social fabric of many societies has been in the 21
st
century compromised where a family member for instance assaults a daughter, niece or nephew
by asking for sexual favors. The victims in most these cases have no one to vent to as those they
look up to are the ones committing the offences. In the United States for instance, which is a
developed nation, numerous cases of such victimization have been reported. Among factors that
increase the prevalence of someone being victimized include their routine activities and lifestyle.
A crime offender is in a better position to predict the routine of an individual to commit their
crimes when a window of opportunity presents itself.
Victimization has been attributed to various factors. Firstly, an individual holds a higher chance
of being victimized depending on how they look. This has been evidenced in cases of rape,
where offenders claim they were unable to resist the appearance of their targets. This is
explained in the Victimization theory. Secondly, location and situation in which an individual is
in that particular time. There are areas that are always prone to crime and avoiding them would
minimize the degree of victimization. Neighborhoods and the characters of whom an individual
is involved with also affects the rate and probability of victimization in the United States. It is
therefore of importance to evaluate the level of control one has over others and to which one is
subject as put across by the control balance theory.
Consequences of Victimization
Normally, victimization is a negative occurrence that in most cases leaves a permanent scar in
the lives of the victims. Besides the physical injury and financial consequences meted on the
victims, there is an enormous emotional impact of victimization. Firstly, there is the state of
shock, disbelief and denial. It is hard for one to fathom the fact that he or she has become a
victim of crime. Some even pretend that such a thing never happened. The duration over which
such a denial lasts vary among people. Another possible outcome of victimization may be range.
Victims tend to be angry with everyone including family members, friends, criminal justice
system and sometimes even God. Hate sometimes pushes the victims to want to revenge just to
feel good. Fear, frustration and confusion are other consequences that may be attributed to
