theries of victimology

¶ … victim" refers to ancient sacrifice of a person or animal to please the Gods. Over the centuries the term gathered other meanings. Mendelsohn, Von Hentig, and Wofgang defined the term "victim" as "hapless dupes who instigated their own victimization." (VICTIMOLOGY THEORY) In 1980, due to the feminist attack against this meaning, the word "victim" was defined as anyone who was to find himself in an asymmetric situation or relationship. By asymmetric, they were referring to any unbalanced, destructive, oppressive etc., relationship or situation.

In 1968 Schafer said that the victim wasn't just the reason for a criminal practice, as he or she played an important role in understanding the criminal and his or her gesture. Mendelsohn and Von Henting are the pioneers of victimology. In the 50' and 60' they were trying to illustrate problems which existed in the field, in what concerns the victims.

Von Hentig wrote "The Criminal and His Victim" while he was in the United States. He said "sociologists look at the social conditions of crime, and psychiatrists and criminal anthropologists look for its physical determinants." (Ann Burgess, Cheryl Regehr, Albert Roberts, page 38) In his book, Von Hentig examines the relationship between the criminal and his victim. His conclusion was "that the personality characteristics of some victims, and/or the community environment they inhabit, may actually contribute to their victimization." (Ibidem)

In 1934, Benjamin Mendelsohn was accepted in the bar of Bucharest. He was later to found himself in a victim position because of some discriminatory acts. He hit back through a manuscript and a speech about victimology. In 1940 he left Romania for Israel, and he continued to support and create interest for victimology. Mendelsohn's conclusion was that there exists a strong interpersonal relationship between the victim and the criminal.

Both Von Hentig and Mendelsohn developed a victim typology. While Von Hentig's "category typology is based on psychological, social, and biological factors" (Idem, page 40), the Mendelsohn's typology is "based on guilt and responsibility." (Ibidem)

Von Hentig's says that young individuals they are weak and vulnerable in a criminal view. In his opinion, they are usually kidnapped or used by criminals in crimes against property. Women are another type of victim because they are weak and cannot defend themselves against criminals. The old people are victims of crimes against property crimes and also can be viewed as weak by the criminals. Von Hentig included it in the mentally defective category, the mentally ill, the mentally retarded and the substance abusers. He said that these categories of people are handicapped in a fight back against any crime. The substance abusers are an easy mark for thieves, gamblers and social criminals. The immigrants are vulnerable, in his opinion, in the changing to a new culture because they can suffer emotional difficulties and can often be discriminated. The minorities were put by Von Hentig in a similar position as immigrants. In his opinion, the dull normals were born to be a victim. The depressed is open to victimization and can't fight back, because of his apathetic state. The acquisitive -- "Von Hentig described how criminal syndicates, racketeers, gamblers, confidence men, and others exploit the victim's need for money." (Idem, page 41) The wanton was described as a person who is 'dimmed by the generalization of laws and obscured by social conventions." (Ibidem) The lonesome and heartbroken are also an easy victim for criminals because of their state of mind. Von Hentig says that tormentors are those persons who were in a family tragedy. The blocked victim is "a person who has been so enmeshed in a losing situation that defensive moves become impossible." (Ibidem)