Teaching Victimology in America: From on the Job Training (OJT) to PHD

Abstract

Within the field of victimology, teaching can occur at many levels: from on-the-job training of victim assistance practitioners; to agency-specific training, usually for one week to learn basic job competence; to more formal teaching for two years at the undergraduate level; or for four years at the baccalaureate level at a university; and finally, to advanced graduate work, leading to either a master’s degree or a doctorate degree in victimology or a related discipline. The dynamic evolution of victimology and victim services beginning in the early 1970s was followed by the education of university students interested in understanding victims and victimization, as well as the training of practitioners wanting to help relieve victim suffering and facilitate victim recovery. Victimology education and training offers a bright prospect both for those interested in studying victims, those hoping to find social solutions to interpersonal conflicts, and those wanting to help their fellow human beings.

Notes

This manuscript is an updated version of a presentation made at the First Symposium of the American Society of Victimology held at the Kansas City Kansas Community College January 9–10, 2003 and the text was included in the Symposium Proceedings (Dussich, 2003).