VICTIMOLOGY

MEANING, NATURE, SCOPE

AND EMERGING TRENDS

SUBMITTED TO - SUBMITTED BY –

PROFESSOR DR.ANJU BERWAL AMANPREET SINGH

UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LEGAL STUDIES 152/10

PANJAB UNIVERSITY 10TH SEMESTER

CHANDIGARH

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This project would be incomplete without expressing my gratitude towards the people who

made it possible for me to finish it on time and with accuracy. Firstly, I would like to thank

our Criminology, Penology and Victimology Professor Dr.Anju Berwal for giving me the

requisite guidelines and helping me in fulfilling the loopholes of my project. Secondly, I

would like to thank my family member‘s friends who constantly gave me advice on the

quality of information and helped me in completing my project.

Lastly I would like to thank our library staff for helping me in collecting the material and the

required books for the project.

Amanpreet Singh

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENT.............................................................................................................................2

TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................................3

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................5

DEFINITION OF VICTIMOLOGY...............................................................................................................6

CONCEPT OF VICTIMOLOGY..................................................................................................................7

CONCEPT OF VICTIMOLOGY IN INDIA....................................................................................................9

A Law Inadequate in favour of victims...............................................................................................9

Innovative approach of Apex court...................................................................................................9

Compensation & the need for sensitization of judiciary..................................................................10

Compensation to Rape victims........................................................................................................11

The duty of Court while trying rape cases.......................................................................................12

VICTIM SERVICES.................................................................................................................................14

GRIEVANCES AND PROBLEMS OF VICTIMS..........................................................................................15

VICTIM AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM......................................................................................16

VICTIM AS VICTIM OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.......................................................................17

CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................18

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AIR All India Reporter

All Allahabad

Bom LR Bombay Law Reporter

Cal Calcutta

DE Delhi

Guj Gujarat

Ker Kerala

Ltd Limited

MANU Manupatra

Mh LJ Maharashtra Law Journal

Ori Orissa

P&H Punjab and Haryana

SC Supreme Court

SCC Supreme Court Cases

SCR Supreme Court Reporter

TN Tamil Nadu

VICTIMOLOGY AND ITS DIMENSIONS

INTRODUCTION

From late 1989 to late 1993, in the Australian state of New South Wales, a dozen or so young

tourists had gone missing along one of the country’s major highways. Many of the bodies

were later found in the Belanglo State Forest, in varying stages of decay. Some traveled in

pairs, others alone. They were both males and females, aged between 19 and 22. They come

from different backgrounds, different countries, and were traveling to different destinations.

Despite these differences, all of the victims shared a common characteristic that linked them:

they were hikers and backpackers. These similarities had the possibility of providing

investigators with a clue about the likely perpetrator of the crimes, and provide the profiler

with vital information not only about the perpetrator, but about the victims themselves.

Collectively, this information is referred to as "Victimology," or the study of victims: an

examination of every facet of their lifestyle, background, health, and physical characteristics.

It is hoped that through an in-depth examination of the victims, we may know the perpetrator

a little better.

Victimology is important in the overall investigative process because it not only tells us who

the victims were, their health and personal history, social habits and personality, but also

provides ideas as to why they were chosen as victims. In many situations, the offender will

hold back from choosing a victim until one that meets his needs comes along, possibly

allowing him to fulfill some fantasy or desire he has. Because of this, the way the victim is

chosen is important and gives an insight into how the offender thinks, which subsequently

affects how the perpetrator acts. If we are able to determine how the offender is acting now,

we may be better able to determine his future behavior, possibly leading to a successful

arrest.

DEFINITION OF VICTIMOLOGY

The word “VICTIMOLOGY” was coined in 1947 by a French lawyer, Benjamin Mendelsohn

from a Latin word ‘VICTIMA’ and a Greek word ‘LOGOS’. Victimology is basically a study

of crime from the point of view of the victim, of the persons suffering from injury or

destruction by action of another person or a group of persons.

Schultz (1970) says-

“Victimology is the study of the degree of and type of participation of the victim in the gensis

or development of the offences and an evaluation of what is just and proper for the victim’s

welfare”.

Drapkin and Viano (1974)-

“Victimology is the branch of criminology which primarily studies the victims of crime and

everything that is connected with such are victim”. (as quoted by Krishna and Singh, 1982).

In a Broder prespective Antilla (1975)-

“Victimology studies by logical, Sociological, Psychological and criminological aspects

about the victims and brings into focus the victim-offender relationship and the role played

by the victim in occurence of the offence”.

In extended sense Separovic(1975)-

“Victimology is the entire body of knowledge regarding victims, victimization and to

preserve the rights of victim; thus it is composed of knowledge drawn from such fields

Asiminology, Safety, Law, Medicine, Psychology, Social Work, Education and Public

Administration.7

According to Parsonage (1979)-

“Victimology concerns the interaction in which both the criminal and the victim have

functional role and responsibilities.

Shinder (1982)-

“It investigates the relationship between offender and victim in crime causation. It deals with

the process of victimization, of becoming a victim, and in this context directs much of its

attention to the problem victim-offender, sequence, i.e. the question of whether or not

victimization can have crimogenic effects or can encourage crime.. 

CONCEPT OF VICTIMOLOGY

Victimology is the scientific study of victims of crime, a sub discipline of criminology. It

seeks to study the relationship between victim and offenders, the persons especially

vulnerable to crimes and the victims. Placement in the criminal justice system (CJS)

Benjamin Mendelsohn has done pioneering work in this field. B. Mendelsohn is credited with

being the first study to the relationship between victim and doer (offender) and taken

together, he termed to else PENAL COUPLE.

Mendelsohn studied victims on the basis of their contributions to crimes and classified them

into the following categories.

Completely innocent victims, e.g. Child, Persons in sleep

1. Victims with minor guilt and victims of ignorance such as pregnant women who go to

quacks for procuring abortions

2. Voluntary victims, such as the ones who commit suicide or are killed by euthanasia.

3. Victims who are more guilty then offenders such as persons who provoke others to

commit crimes. EG: the criminal type of victims who commits offences against others

and get killed or hurt by others in self-defense.

Until recently, victims were not studied. They tended to be seen as passive recipients of the

criminal’s greed or anger, “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The study of victims,

known as victimology, has resulted in theoretical and research studies, and an awareness of

the victim has grown in the public consciousness. There is now recognition that victims have

traditionally not been treated particularly well by the criminal justice system. Victims suffer

not only during the crime, but that there are also sometimes physical and psychological

complications.

Perhaps the first theory to explain victimization was developed by Wolfgang in his study of

murders in Philadelphia. Victim precipitation theory argues that there are victims who

actually initiated the confrontation that led to their injuries and deaths. Although this was the

result of the study of only one type of crime, the idea was first raised that victims also might

play a role in the criminal activity.

Subsequently, some general facts have been gathered about victimization.

1. Victimization is more likely at night (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.). Personal larceny is

more common during the day, with more serious crime occurring at night.

2. Crime occurs more in open public areas, although rapes and simple assaults tend to

occur in homes.

3. Crime is most frequent in central city areas.

4. Western urban areas have the highest crime rates, while the Northeast rural areas have

the lowest.

5. The National Crime Survey indicates that 25% of U.S. households have at least one

individual who was victimized in some way during the past year.

6. Personal theft is very common. About 99% of Americans will be the victim of

personal theft at some time in their lives, and 87% will be a theft victim three or more

times.

7. Men are twice as likely as women to be victims of robbery and assault. The violent

victimization rate for females has been fairly stable, but there has been a 20% increase

for males in the last 15 years.

8. Victim risk diminishes rapidly after age 25. Contrary to popular belief, grandparents

are safer than their grandchildren.

9. Unmarried/never married people are more likely to be victims than the married or

widowed.

10. The poor are more likely to be victims of crime. They are far more likely to be

victims of violent crime, while the middle class are more likely to be victims of

property crime.

11. African Americans are victimized at the highest rates. Crime tends to be intra-racial

(criminals and victims of the same race) rather than interracial (criminal and victim of

different races). About 75% of crime is intra-racial.

12. Strangers commit about 60% of violent crimes. However, females are more likely to

know their assailants.

13. In some studies, over half of offenders report being under the influence of alcohol

and/or other drugs when they committed the offense resulting in incarceration.

14. The characteristics of those most likely to be victimized might be summarized as:

young, black, urban, poor and male.

CONCEPT OF VICTIMOLOGY IN INDIAVictimology  is  science  of  study  of  the  relationship  between  victims  and  violators  of 

law  or  offenders.  Government  has  recently  reinforced  this  political  commitment  in  the 

form  of  funds  for  the  National  Association  of  Victim  Support  Schemes (NAVSS).  In 

1964,  when  the United  Kingdom  became  one  of  the  1st  countries  to  establish  a  policy 

commitment  to  victims  of  crime  in  the  form  of  criminal  injuries  compensation  Board.

The  reports  of  1st  and 2nd  British  Crime  Surveys  have  begun  to  shed  some  light  on 

the  nature  of  the  relationship  between  victims  and  offenders.  In  particular,  attention 

has been  paid  to  the  attitude  that   victims  have  towards  the  treatment  of  offenders.1

A Law Inadequate in favour of victims The victim is the forgotten man of our criminal justice system.  He  sets  the  criminal  law  in

to  motion  but  then  goes  into  oblivion.  The  present  code  of  criminal  procedure  does 

not  recognize  the  right  of  victim  to  take  part  in  the  prosecution  of  the  case  instituted 

on  the  basis  of  police  report. The  victim  is  merely  a  witness  in  a  State  versus  case. 

He  has  no  rights  to  prefer  appeal  against  the  order  of  acquittal  of  the  accused  by  

trial  court  in   a  criminal  case  started  by  State.  The  State  reserves  the  discretion  not 

to  prefer  and  also  to  withdraw  from  the  prosecution  even  in  heinous  offences.  The 

victim  of  crime  becomes the  victim  of  our  criminal  justice  system  when  the  political 

motivated  investigation  agency  or  prosecuting  agency  shows  lack  of  interest   or 

apathy  in  the  matter  of  investigation  or  prosecution  on extraneous  consideration.

Innovative approach of Apex court

The Supreme  Court  has  forged  new  tools,  devised  new  methods  and  adopted  new 

strategies  for  the  purpose  of  making  fundamental  rights  meaningful  even  to  the 

victims  of  crime  of  crime  in  AIR  1995  SC 14,  the  Supreme  Court  directed  the  State 

1 https://www.academia.edu

of  Uttar  Pradesh  to  suspend  and  start  disciplinary  action  against  two  police  officers 

and  one  medical  officer  for  making  perfunctory  investigation  of  rape  case  to  pay  the 

amount  of  Rs.2,50,000/-  as  compensation.

There  is  plethora  of   decisions,  where  Supreme Court  awarded  compensation  to  the 

victims,  whose  plight  was  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  apex  court  either  by 

themselves  or  by  way  of  public  interest  litigation.  Millions  of  victims  of  crime,  who 

cannot  approach  the  apex  court  out  of   ignorance  of  lack  of  resources  are  still  crying 

for  justice  with  the  aim  of  protecting  the  human  rights  of  victim  in  our  criminal 

justice  system  and   to  fulfill  the  constitutional  obligation.  The  Supreme  court  should 

ask  the  Government  to  confer  jurisdiction  on  the  criminal  courts  by  making  statutory 

provision  for  the  compensation  of  the  victims  of  crime,  irrespective  of  whether  the 

accused  is  convicted  or not  and  to  make  statutory  provision  for  participation  of  the 

victim  in   prosecution,  along  with  prosecuting  agency  in a  criminal  case  instituted  on 

report  of  police.

Compensation & the need for sensitization of judiciary

Legislation  conferred  jurisdiction  on the  criminal  courts  under  section  357(3)  of  the 

code  of  criminal  procedure  for  awarding  unlimited  amount  of  compensation  to the 

victims  at  the  time  of  passing  judgment  of  conviction.  This  provision  is  not  ancillary 

to  other  provisions  of  criminal  procedure  code, but  in  addition  thereto.  By  the 

landmark  judgment  in  Hari  Kisan’s  case  AIR  1988 SC 2127  Supreme Court  not  only 

awarded  compensation  of  Rs.50,000/-  to  the  victim,  but  also  directed  the  subordinate 

criminal  courts  to  exercise  the  power  of  awarding  compensation  to  the  victims  of 

offences  in  such  a  liberal  way  that  the  victims  may  not  have  to  rush  to  the  civil 

courts  for  compensation  to  the  victims.  Unfortunately,  the  subordinate  judiciary  is 

rarely  invoking this  provision  to  award  compensation  to  the victims,  where  the 

accused  persons  are  acquitted  of  the  charge  on  benefit  of  doubt  or  on  any 

technicalities  of  laws.

The  General  Assembly  of  the  United  Nation’s  has recommended  payment  of 

compensation  to  the  victims  of  crime  by  the  State,  when  compensation  is  not  fully 

available  from  the  offender or  other  sources.  Unfortunately,  the  victims  of  communal 

riots, dacoity, arson  and  rape  are not  getting  compensation  in  our  present  justice 

system.  Since  the  State  is  under  duty  to  protect  the  life,  liberty  and  security  of  its 

citizens,  it  is  bound  to  pay  compensation  to  the  victims  of  crime  irrespective  of 

whether  the  accused  is  convicted  or  acquitted of  the  criminal  charge.  As the 

government  is  indifferent to  the  crying  need  of  the  victims,  the  apex  court  directed 

the  Government  to  set  up  a  criminal  injuries  compensation  Board,  under  the 

supervision  of  criminal  courts  for  awarding  compensation  to victims  of  all  crimes 

including  rape  or  dacoity,  in  addition  to  the  directions  given  to  National  Commission

for  women  to  evolve  a  proposal  for  rehabilitation  and  compensatory  justice  to  rape 

victims.

Payment  of  compensation  to  the  victims  of  crime  for  any  injury  caused  to  him  has 

not  been  institutionalized  under the  Indian  Penal  Laws.  Nor  any  legal  right  to  be 

compensated  has  been  created  in  favour  of  the  victim. In  case  of   irreversible  injury 

monetary  compensation  is  the  sole  effective  remedy. In  India   there  is  neither  a 

comprehensive  legislation  nor  a  statutory  scheme  providing  for  compensation  by  State 

to  offender  to  victims  of  crime.

The  legislative  vacuum  of  a  legal  right  to  monetary  compensation   for  violation  of 

human  rights  has  been  supplemented  by  the  higher  judiciary  by  developing  a  parallel  

constitutional  remedy.  The  Supreme  Court  for  the  first  time  in  made  it  categorically 

clear  that  the  higher  judiciary  has  the  power  to  award  compensation  for  violation  of 

fundamental  rights  through  the  exercise  of   writ  jurisdiction  and  evolved  the  principle 

of  compensatory  justice  in  the  annals  of  human  rights  jurisprudence.2  The  Supreme 

Court  direct  State  of  Bihar  to  pay  the  sum  of  Rs.15,000/-  as  compensation  to  Bhama 

Oraon  who  was  illegally  detained  for  6  years  and  kept  in  mental  hospital  when  he 

was  not  in same.3  On  account  of  failure  of  Government  to  produce  in  habeas  corpus 

petition  filed  by  wives,  apex  court  awarded  cost  of  Rs. 1 lac  to  be  given  to  wife  of 

each  of  detenue.4

Compensation to Rape victims

Right  of  the  rape  victim  to  receive  compensation  flows  from  Art.21  of  the 

constitution.  Every  court  has jurisdiction  to   grant  compensation  not  only  at  the  final 

2 Rudal Sah  v.  State  of  Bihar, AIR  1983 SC  1086.3 Oraon  v.  State of Bihar.4 Sebastain  v.  Union  of  India  AIR  1984  SC 1826

stage  of  trial  but  also  to  award  interim  compensation  at  any  interlocutory  stage   of 

trial .5  The Apex Court indicated  a  scheme  to  award  compensation  to  rape  victim  both 

at  the  time  of  trial  i.e.,   interim  compensation  to  rape  victim   and  at  the  end  of  the 

trial.  The  Supreme  Court  suggested  the  establishment  of  criminal  injuries 

compensation  Board  under  Art. 38(1) of the Constitution  of  India.  The  rape  victim 

shall  be  paid  compensation  by  this  Criminal  injuries  compensation  board  or   the  court 

and  while  awarding  compensation   the  following  particulars  are  to  be  taken  into 

account  to  calculate  the  compensation  amount  i.e.,  pain,  suffering  and  shocks 

experienced  by  the  victims  and  also  loss  of  earnings  due  to  pregnancy  and  the 

expenses  of  child  birth  if  this  occurs  as  a  result  of  the  rape..  Unfortunately  till  now 

this  criminal  injuries  compensation  Board  has  not  been  established  by  the  Central 

Government.6

In D.K. Basu v.  State of  West  Bengal,  the  landmark  judgment  Supreme  Court  has  laid 

down  number  of  guidelines   to  prevent  custodial  violence   including  rape,  and  has

recognized   that  custodial  rape  could  be  compensated  as  the  same  violated  Rights  to 

life  and  personal  liberty  guaranteed  under  Article  21  of  the  Constitution.  The  Hon’ble 

Apex  Court   has  held  that  the  court  of  session  have  every  authority  to  award  interim 

compensation  if  prime  facie  case  against   the  accused  has  been  established  that  a 

person   had  sexual  relationship  with  the  prosecutrix  on  false  assurance  of  marriage. 

Supreme  Court  has  directed  the  guilty   person  to  pay  Rs.1000/-  pm  as  interim 

compensation  to  the  prosecutrix  during  pendency  of  case.7  This  judgment  is  a 

precedent  for  granting  interim  compensation  to  the  rape  victims.  The  Supreme  court 

held  that  even  a  prostitute  has  a  right  to  privacy  and  no  person  can  rape  her  just 

because  she  is  a  woman  of  easy  virtue.8

The duty of Court while trying rape cases

The   police,  court  and  lawyers  should  come  forward  to  provide  all  sorts  of  assistance 

to  victims  of  rape. Courts must deal with such cases with utmost sensitivity.  The  court 

should  examine  the  broader  probabilities  of  case  and  not  get  swayed  by  minor 

contradictions  or  insignificant  discrepancies in witness statements.  The  court  should  also 

5 AIR  1996 SC 922.6 Delhi  Domestic  Working  Women’s  Forum  v.  Union of  India, 1995(1)  SCC 14 .7 Bodhi  Sattra  Goutham  v.  Subhra  Chakraborthy.8 State of  Maharashtra  v.  Madhukar  N. Mardikar  (1991 )  1  SCC  57.

provide  adequate  financial  assistance  to  the  victim  of  rape.  It  could  also  award 

interim  compensation  as  in  Rathinam  /  State  of  Gujarat  the  court  awarded  interim 

compensation  to  tribal  woman  who  was  illegally  raped  in  police  custody  in  the 

presence  of  her  husband.  Sum of Rs. 50,000/- was provided by the State of Gujarat.  Apart 

from  providing  financial  assistance   the victim  should  be  provided  medical, social,

psychological  assistance  which  would  help  her  to  come  out  of  her  trauma.

U/s. 18(3)  of  the  protection  of  Human  Rights  Act 1993  National  Human  Rights 

Commission  has  powers   to  advance  the  cause  of  compensatory  justice  to  the  victims 

of  Torture.

There  is  ample  scope  of  law  reform  to  protect  the   victims  of  sexual  offences  in 

general  and  the  victims  of  rape in  particular. Evidence Act is amended suitably. Evidence

of victim is taken in close room. Defense  counsel  be  prohibited  from  putting  question on 

past  character  of  victim.  Judges  and  prosecutors  may  be  sanitized  to  the  need  of 

evaluation  of  evidence  of  victims  of  rape.

Though  there  is  a  need  of  legislation  in  the  field,  it  is  equally  essential  to 

implement   the  existing  provisions.  The  people  should  be  aware  of  these  laws  for 

their  effective  implementation.  All  concern  responsible  citizen  should  take  effective 

steps  to  implement  the  provisions  under  law.

We have to activate our Indian society of Victimology.  The non-governmental  organization 

on  14th  August, 1992  has  formed  a  society  called  as  Indian   society  of  victimology  

in  Madras  many  social  scientists,  professionals, research  scholars,  students  &  criminal 

justice  functionaries  interested  in  cause of  victims  of  crime  India,  a  convened  by  Prof.

Chockalingam  &  decided  to  start  working  under  the  society  named  as “ Indian 

Society  of  victimology”.  He was 1st unanimously elected president. On  18/09/94  former 

Judge  of  Supreme  Court  of  India  V.R. Krishna  Iyer  has  inaugurated  the  same.

There  is  a  need  to  see  for  the  criminal  Justice  reforms  and  victims’  rights 

organizations   to  become  more  active.  Govt. of  Maharashtra  women and  child 

development  Dept., various  Boards  and  women  commission  should  become  active  in 

formation  of  the  group  to  help  such  victims  of  crime.

On  14th August 1992, many  social  Scientists,  Professors, Research  Scholars, Students &

Criminal  Justice  functionaries  interested  in  cause  of  victims  of  crime  met  at  Dept.  of 

victimology  at  University  of  Madras  in  India  and  decided  to  start  an  organization  in 

the  name  of  Indian  Society  of   victimology .  He was elected unopposed as President.

VICTIM SERVICES

The development of new programs and legislation has resulted from the study of victims.

Such programs have included:

1. Victim compensation programs, in which the state pays some of the financial costs of

the victim, particularly with respect to violent crime

2. Court services, which provide information and assistance to victims

3. Crisis intervention and counseling programs for victims, particularly in the case of

rape

4. Self-protection programs that teach people how to avoid victimization (target

hardening) and how to mobilize as a community to prevent victimization (such as

neighbourhood watch)

There has also been an ongoing debate about victim's rights, and what those rights ought to

be. Should relatives of victims be allowed to speak and discuss the impact of the crime at

parole hearings or at death penalty hearings? (Many states now provide for this measure).

Should citizens be warned when an ex-felon moves into their neighbourhood? Some people

believe that they should have the right to know and protect themselves. Others believe that

the felon has completed his punishment and should be allowed the opportunity to rehabilitate

himself without potential harassment from others.

This issue has been particularly debated with respect to "Meghan's Law," a law proposed by

the parents of a child murdered by a child molester. The perpetrator had a prior history of

molestation, and lived in Meghan's neighbourhood. The parents maintained that had they

known of his past, they would have taken more precautions. The proposed law, which has

been passed in some states, allows neighbourhood residents to be informed when a sex

offender moves into their neighbourhood. There has been controversy because some former

offenders have been driven from neighbourhoods, and have difficulty finding a place to live--

and who have served their sentences. These issues are far from resolution.

GRIEVANCES AND PROBLEMS OF VICTIMS

The grievances of the victims can be summarized as follows-

1. Inadequacy of the law in allowing the victim to participate in the prosecution in a

criminal case instituted on a police report

2. Failure on the part of the police and prosecution to keep the victims informed about

progress of the case

3. Inconvenience during interrogation by the police and lengthy court proceeding.

4. Lack of prompt medical assistance to the victims of body offences and victims of

accident.

5. Lack of legal assistance to the victim.

6. Lack of protection when the victims are threatened by the offender.

7. Failure in restitution of victim.

Along with these grievances, the victims of crimes faced multifarious problems: 

1. Economic strain of the family

2. Change in Social role of dependents.

3. Frustration and helplessness leading to suicide.

4. Social stigma.

5. Emergence of criminal behaviour.

An important aspect of investigating a violent crime is an understanding of the victim and the

relation that their lifestyle or personality characteristics may have contributed to the offender

choosing them as a victim. Please do not misunderstand the previous statement. In no way

are victims being blamed for becoming a victim of a violent crime. Even high risk victims

(to be described shortly) have the right to live how they wish without becoming a victim of

the type of offenses described on this site. Yet the fact remains, that to understand the

offender, one must first understand the victim.

Victims are classified during an investigation in three general categories that describe the

level of risk their lifestyle represents in relation to the violent crime that has been committed.

The importance of understanding this in an investigation is directly related back to the level

of risk to the offender during the commission of the crime. This information is important to

the investigation to better understand the sophistication or possible pathology of the offender.

High Risk Victims - Victims in this group have a lifestyle that makes them a higher risk for

being a victim of a violent crime. The most obvious high risk victim is the prostitute.

Prostitutes place themselves at risk every single time they go to work. Prostitutes are high

risk because they will get into a stranger's car, go to secluded areas with strangers, and for the

most part attempt to conceal their actions for legal reasons. Offenders often rely on all these

factors and specifically target prostitutes because it lowers their chances of becoming a

suspect in the crime. Therefore, in this example, the prostitute is a high risk victim creating a

lower risk to the offender.

Moderate Risk Victims - Victims that fall into this category are lower risk victims, but for

some reason were in a situation that placed them in a greater level of risk. A person that is

stranded on a dark, secluded highway due to a flat tire that accepts a ride from a stranger and

is then victimized would be a good example of this type of victim level risk.

Low Risk Victims - The lifestyle of these individuals would normally not place them in any

degree of risk for becoming a victim of a violent crime. These individuals stay out of trouble,

do not have peers that are criminal, are aware of their surroundings and attempt to take

precautions to not become a victim. They lock the doors, do not use drugs, and do not go into

areas that are dark and secluded.

VICTIM AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

One important and basic factor in the administration of criminal justice is the victim’s

decision as to whether he should invoke the judicial process. There are a number of motives

and factors responsible for the wide gap between the actual volume of the crime and the

reports made to the police about it.

Only in the 1940’s did scholarly interest in the criminal-victim relationship develop, although

the founders of criminology had been aware of how crucial it was. Hans Von Hentig,

Benjamin Mendelsohn and Henry Ellenberger, the last in his study of the psychological

relationship between the criminal and his victims.

It is a parody on the vagaries of the criminal justice systems of the Developing World that

inspite of Thirty years of Independence there has been no conceptual study or empirical

research regarding the victims of criminal offences.

A movement for the recognition of the modern victim of crime as deserving more effective

remedy than the traditional practice of bringing civil suits was begun by the English penal

reformer Margery Fry in 1955. Her call for reform was heeded in New Zealand in 1963,

when that country’s parliament established the first crime compensation tribunal. This board

has discretionary power to award public compensation to the victim or his dependants in the

case of certain specified offences. The next year, Great Britain’s Tory government announced

a similar but non statuary program. In the United States the first jurisdiction to adopt the

compensation principle was California; which enacted its programs in 1965 and put it into

operation two years later. Since that time, similar or related programs have been established

in some thirty states in the United States and in all the Canadian, provinces. Financial

restitution by the offender to the victim represents another development in the legal handling

of the victim, in the United States, at least forty normal restitution programs are in operation.

VICTIM AS VICTIM OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Students and professionals in the criminal justice system have become increasingly aware

that the victim of a criminal often becomes the victim of criminal justice system as well as

once the victim reports his victimization to the police-the gateway to the criminal justice

system-he routinely faces postponements, delays, rescheduling, and other frustrations. All

their means loss of earnings, waste of time, payment of transportation and other expenses,

discouragement, and the painful realization that the system does not live up to its ideals and

does not serve its constituency, but instead serves only itself. Many believe that the victim is

the most disregarded participant in criminal justice proceedings. In practice, after the victim

has reported his victimization and provided information to the police, he may not hear from

the police or the prosecutor for a long time, if ever, cases are disposed of without any

consultation with the victim if and when the victim is called for the trial, he is treated simply

as the witness for the state and is subject to long delays, postponements, and other frustrating

experiences.

Newly focused attention has brought professional recognition to the victim’s plight at the

hands of the criminal justice system: As a result, innovative proposals have been

implemented to create victim assistance programmes, to provide the victim with legal and

social referral services, to honor his right to be consulted and to offer his opinions when the

prosecutor plea bargains with the accused, and to totally revamp the compensation-restitution

idea. Some police departments report to victims the progress being made in investigating and

solving their cases, and communities may provide such services as rape crisis centres and

spouse abuse shelters to assist crime victims by intervening in the crisis and referring the

victims to community and others resources in the case of rape, the women’s movement has

spurred victimologists- mostly males- to give more equitable and balanced attention to the

issues surrounding what some have called “the most despicable but least punished crime.” 

Attention to the victim calls for an examination of the appropriate remedies for

victimization. Too often the remedies offered to poor victims reflect middle-class values. The

victim’s point of view should be sought when systems are developed for compensating crime

victims, and the concept of relative loss should be introduced in debate and deliberations for

compensation.

CONCLUSION

The victim is essentially an inseparable part of crime. Therefore the phenomenon of crime

cannot be comprehensively explained without incorporating the victim of a crime. Crime

victim, despite being an integral part of crime and a key factor in criminal justice system,

remained a forgotten entity as his status got reduced only to report crime and appear in the

court as witness and he routinely faces postponements, delays, rescheduling, and other

frustrations. All their means loss of earnings, waste of time, payment of transportation and

other expenses, discouragement, and the painful realization that the system does not live up to

its ideals and does not serve its constituency, but instead serves only itself. Many believe that

the victim is the most disregarded participant in criminal justice proceedings.

It is, therefore, the Indian Higher Courts have started to award the compensation through their

writ jurisdiction in appropriate case.