Critical Victimology: International Perspectives

The status of the victim within the criminal justice system has recently become a controversial issue. In this comprehensive and timely text, the authors combine their extensive experience of the victims′ movement to provide a theoretical and practical critique of the subject. Drawing from a wealth of local, national, and international sources, unpublished documents, and original research, the book outlines and discusses the issues facing victims today. The authors address the fundamental question: How can we best ensure justice for victims while preserving the rights of defendants? The search for answers raises other key questions examined in this volume. Topics include the risk of crime and how it varies from country to country; the impact of crime on the victim; the treatment of victims by police, welfare agencies, and the courts; the recent interest of governments in victims′ issues; policies and practices of other nations; services that are being developed in other countries; and how to ensure the rights of victims while preserving the rights of defendants. This critical and comparative analysis of "victim services" offers important insights for students and academics in criminology, social work, and social policy, as well as for victim support workers. "This useful and accessible book provides a more sophisticated and refined understanding of victim issues in the contemporary criminal justice system than has been available hitherto, and should be essential reading for anyone who wants to take practice and policy forward." --LCCJ Newsletter