CJS4510EN - Victimology

Course description

This course will explore the victim's rights movement, how victims are treated by the criminal justice and social services field, explanations for victimization, repeat victimization, and different successful approaches to working with crime victims.

How this course benefits students

Any minister, lay leader, or mission minded believer is responsible for preventing victimization and assisting those who are or have been victims of crimes. This includes law enforcement, social workers, ministers, friends, neighbors and family. Those within the criminal justice profession seeking to live out a missional calling through their work would benefit from a structured and guided engagement about crime victimization. The topic regarding how to address and treat victims is a topic that affects all in society. Members of the community would benefit in a better understanding of and knowledge of crime victimization.

Why this course is important

Victimization neglect has far-reaching application. Crime victims suffer tremendous amounts of physical and psychological trauma. Victimization can continue due to physical, financial and emotional hardships throughout and after the criminal justice process. Understanding, recognizing and offering services to victims can help alleviate trauma and reduce secondary victimization. This application of supporting and providing services to those who have been victimized has long been explored in the Christian faith. It would benefit the larger mission of God for mission-minded individuals with training in criminal justice as well as community members to become active regarding the support of victims of crimes.

Credit hours
3 hours
Subject area
Criminal Justice
Educational level
Bachelor
Learning type
Instructional
Prerequisites
None
Upcoming terms
Pending
* Schedule subject to change. Please contact the Registrar's office with schedule questions.

How this course relates to missional core values

Biblically based

Victimization involves all members of society. This course could help develop biblically-educated criminal justice providers and community members.

Missionally driven

If criminal justice practitioners desire to live out their missional calling in the criminal justice field, they will desire to understand how to assist and provide services for victims of crimes. Approximately fifty per one thousand individuals are victims of violent crime. Victimization prevention and services are a part of the mission's field for everyone.

Contextually informed

Victimization is a unique ministry context, and a course on victimization to include faith-based services would help practitioners and community members as a whole apply broader biblical principles to the communities they work and live in.

Interculturally focused

A large part of victimization tends to the issues of culture and equity. Victimization is reportedly higher in low poverty areas and higher among minorities and women. Criminal justice values can change among differing cultures. Victimization is applicable in this area.

Practically minded

Victim trauma is directly related to the aftermath of crime. Crime victims suffer both physical and psychological trauma. This can include physical, financial and emotional trauma long after the actual crime. Lack of support and services for victims of crimes can cause secondary injuries. Everyone needs the knowledge to recognize understand and support those victimized by crime.

Experientially transformed

Victimization is best learned through theories and application. Cases will be brought to the table for discussion and learning and learners will return to their practice with the benefit of that learning.