Victimology

Victimology, Eighth Edition, shows how to transform the current criminal’s justice system into a victim’s justice system. Doerner and Lab, both well-regarded scholars, write compellingly about the true scope of crime victims’ suffering in the United States. They lay out the sources of evidence available to victimology researchers. In later chapters, theory is woven together with the description of each topic and illustrated with specific examples. The second part of the book addresses the full impact of victimization. Part III, Types of Victimization, details specific problems ranging from violent crimes, child and elder abuse, and property crime to crime in the workplace. The authors emphasize their concern with the extent of criminal victimization, explain how obstacles hinder the pursuit of justice, and introduce the idea that reforms have rendered the system much more victim-friendly.

Appropriate for undergraduate as well as early graduate students in Victimology courses in Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Sociology programs, as well as Justice Studies, this book offers an instructor’s manual with a test bank, as well as PowerPoint lecture slides and a companion site with student resources.

William G. Doerner has been a Professor in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University since 1977. He specializes in victimology and law enforcement issues. He earned his M.A. in Sociology at Emory University and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Tennessee. Doerner retired from active duty with the Tallahassee Police Department after 29 years of service as a part-time sworn law enforcement officer. He served on the Board of Directors for the National Organization of Victim Assistance and was the Founding President of the Florida Network of Victim/Witness Services, past Director of the Program in Criminal Justice at Florida State University, and a previous editor of the American Journal of Criminal Justice. In addition to other professional accolades, Doerner received the Outstanding Educator of the Year Award from the Southern Criminal Justice Association and was a winner of the John P.J. Dussich Award from the American Society of Victimology.

Steven P. Lab is Professor of Criminal Justice and Chair of the Department of Human Services at Bowling Green State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Criminology from the Florida State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Lab is the author or co-author of five books, co-editor of one encyclopedia, and the author of more than 50 articles or book chapters. He is a past editor of the Journal of Crime and Justice. Lab has been a visiting professor at the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science of the University College London and at Keele University in Staffordshire, England, as well as a Visiting Fellow at Loughborough University (England) and a Research Consultant with the Perpetuity Research Group at Leicester University (England). Lab has received grant funding for several large research projects from the National Institute of Justice and has served as a consultant to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Arizona Governor’s Office, and various offices of the U.S. Department of Justice. Lab is also a past president of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.