This essay will define the meaning of victimology and discuss its provisions. Explain how it is an important aspect of criminology and outline the definition of victim and victimization characteristics of the victim. It will focus on the historical development of victimology explaining how it has improved over time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Victimology is a new branch of the biosocial sciences. It focuses on the relationship between the victim and the offender and is used to describe the study of individuals who are physically harmed by criminals. A key figure in victimology is Benjamin Mendelsohn, he was the first person to use the word "victimology" in 1947 and managed to see the discipline separate between this and criminology. In addition to understanding the relationships between the victim and the offender, Mendelsohn examines why victims have been ignored for so long and left to bear the brunt of the consequences of the crime. Criminology is the study of criminals and what they do, why they might have done it, and how the criminal justice system works. While victimology is the study of the causes of victimization and studies victims on a deeper level by examining why that victim was targeted. Victimology looks at crime in a broader perspective, studying the victim's actions and background to understand why he or she was targeted. This led to Von Hentig's study describing the "characteristics" of a victim. Christie created a study of the "ideal" victim, explaining the reasons why some victims were ignored. According to Christie, an 'ideal victim' is “a person or category of individuals who – when affected by a crime – are more easily recognized as having the full and legitimate status of a victim”. The word 'victim' was first used in the 16th century, however it was not used in the English language until the year 1947. The word was defined as "a living creature killed and offered as a sacrifice to a deity or supernatural power" . Victim research strengthened criminology which then created victimology separate from criminology, examining more victims of crime. Criminal victimization was one of the largest areas of the system to be overlooked as victims were not receiving expected support and were not being treated. as a victim they should be treated because they did not meet the needs of the victim. The introduction of victimology into criminology has improved the criminal justice system in how they view and value victims of crime. The study of victimization is so important to criminology as it has the potential to reshape the discipline of criminology, because it examines criminal activity from a different perspective. Victimology could be the long-awaited paradigm shift that criminology needed. There are two main types of victimology: general victimology and criminal victimology. The difference between these two types starts from the definition of how they describe and identify a victim. General victimology includes individuals who have been harmed by accidents and things such as natural disasters. This type of victimology focuses on how the individual is treated after the incident and the consequences of the victimization. While criminal victimology focuses on the legal perspective, the rights of the victim after a crime has occurred and through the prosecution process. Victimology is the change in recognition. The Code of Conduct for Victims was launched in April 2006, isapplied to all police forces, the Crown Prosecution Service and judicial services. It was also posted in prisons, probation and parole boards. It was published after being established by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. This act was the reason why the code came into force. The Victim Code of Conduct was created to define each crime agency and what they must do for victims and the period of time in which they must do it as victims were entitled to immediate emotional support from a trained worker and a thorough examination of their practical, emotional, health, safety and housing needs. This code also supports victims and their families or vulnerable victims during a case, each victim will receive support from a liaison officer also assigned to the victim's family to provide them with further support if they need it. This code has given victims what they need as a victim's needs are important in a criminal case. An example of a victim's need is reassurance, guidance, and the ability to express how they feel. This code allows victims to write a personal statement which allows them to discuss their side of the story, this is an improvement in the criminal justice system as before, victims were not listened to and had no say. There are three main theoretical perspectives those characteristics of victimology are: positivist, radical and critical victimology. Positivist victimology is a concept of victimology in the social sciences and is the scientific study of causation that attempts to measure the extent of victimization. Examines the causes of things: "etiology" and victim blaming. This means that victims are scrutinized more and focused in this perspective as their lifestyles and how they may have caused an incident that would lead to their victimization are investigated. It pursued three main concerns: the identification of factors in individuals or their environment that lead to a risk of non-random victimization, a focus on crimes of interpersonal violence, and the identification of victims who might be believed to have contributed to their victimization. According to Miers, positivist victimology focused on two different aspects of victimization which are: the identification of the characteristics of an individual and what makes him susceptible to victimization and the other being, the identification of particular crimes and the relationships between victims and the offenders who might suggest responsibility in a victim for their victimization. The first studies focus on victim propensity. An example of this would be Von Hentig's study of victim characteristics. Explain the social and psychological characteristics of a victim and how they might have caused an accident on their own. Hentig describes the reasons why victims have been ignored for so long in the victim-predisposition typology. He was a criminologist who focused on victims of crime, he studied victims to understand crime and criminals rather than looking at how they were affected by it. His belief was that by understanding the relationship between criminals and the victim, the crime could be prevented from happening again. He created a study that would question: What makes a victim a victim? He explained how victims were characterized and identified twelve different characteristics of a victim. For example, a woman would be more likely to be a victim because she is seen as "weak" and "vulnerable", "lacks physical strength", suggesting that she is not.