Victims of crime are poorly understood. Helping institutions often have counterintuitive, even potentially harmful, impacts. Support services are generally little known, poorly funded, and limited in scope — all of which perpetuates the powerless role of the victim in the criminal justice system.
J. Scott Kenney unpacks the systemic problems that are so common among victims. With emphasis on victims’ lived experiences and extensive first hand accounts, Kenney pairs excerpts from the press, legal documents, and other relevant material to contextualize each voice.
Chapter 1: Introduction Methodologies
Organization of This Book
Chapter 2: The Impact of Crime Introduction
Victimization and Victim Identity
Dimensions of Impact and Their Rhetorics
Conclusion
Chapter 3: Social Dynamics in the Wake of Crime Introduction
Social Reactions and Victim Labelling
Gender Roles and Grief Cycles in Homicide Cases
Human Agency Revisited: The Paradox of Victims
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Victims and Legal Institutions Introduction
Victims’ Legal Position
Victims in the Criminal Justice Process
Encounters with the Justice System and Victim Claims
Homicide Survivors’ Experiences
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Emotion and the Rise of the Victims’ Rights Movement (with Karen Stanbridge)
Introduction
Neglected Victims
Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Resources, and Resonant Frames
What Happened to Emotions?
Emotions and Social Movements
Discussion
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Policy Responses Introduction
The Civil Courts
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Programs
Victims’ Bills of Rights
Victim Impact Statements
Provincial Victims’ Services Programs
Private Victim Support/Advocacy Organizations
Women’s Shelters and Community Outreach Services
Conclusion
Chapter 7: Restorative Justice (with Donald Clairmont)
Introduction
Restorative Justice and Its Discontents
The Restorative Justice Process
Restorative Justice as It Happens
Conclusion
Chapter 8: International Comparisons Introduction De Facto and De Jure Treatment of Victims: Canada versus Colombia (with Alfredo Schulte-Bockholt)
Methodological Considerations
Comparative Data on Violence, Victimization, and Institutional Processing
Conclusion
Chatper 9: Conclusion Common Threads
Ongoing Changes
Future Research
A Personal Coda
APPENDIX A: KEY REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
APPENDIX B: WEBSITES
APPENDIX C: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF VICTIMIZATION: METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
Ethics Review
Issues in the Design of Research Instruments
Accessing Participants
Interviewing and Observing Participants
Transcription and Data Analysis
Presentation of Data
Assessment
References
Copyright Acknowledgements
Index
Biography
J. Scott Kenney is Associate Professor at Memorial University, Department of Sociology. He is a widely published scholar and a respected criminologist who has been teaching, researching, and publishing in the field of victimology for more than a decade.
What I appreciate most about this book is the quality of the scholarship. It draws on rich, qualitative data, incorporates victims' experiences, and contextualizes the material in terms of the author's nuanced analysis of the significance and implications of the data. I know of no other book quite like this…a 'must read' for anyone interested in understanding the experiences of victims.
Dorothy Pawluch, Department of Sociology, McMaster University
A useful synthesis of empirical data on the major issues confronting victims within the criminal justice system. It is clear that the author has 'on the ground' experience, which is essential for mining the details and exploring the nuances. This highly readable book makes a valuable contribution to the literature on victimology and restorative justice.
Liz Elliott, Co-Director, Centre for Restorative Justice, Simon Fraser University
This book fits the bill for a number of stand alone undergraduate courses in Criminology and Sociology. Taking a critical analysis of key issues facing victims is most welcome. The historical analysis inherent in the book provides a good backdrop for the chapters to unfold.
Susan Reid, Criminology and Criminal Justice Department, St. Thomas University
Instructor Resources
Adopt Canadian Victims of Crime and receive critical thinking questions for each chapter of the text.
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