What’s Missing? A review of Victimology Textbooks

• In Event: Diversity & Inclusion in Criminology

Abstract

Modern victimology textbooks cover a wide range of topics, including specific types of victimization, the causes of victimization, and how the criminal legal system responds. One topic that is often excluded, or if covered, not covered in depth, is disability and how disability interacts with our criminal legal system. Our criminal legal system is rarely able to provide individuals with disabilities adequate accommodation, making this problem two-fold. First, individuals in need of accommodations may not receive the help that they need, and second, the system itself may be responsible for revictimizing them. This makes disability an important inclusion in victimology literature and textbooks that is often overlooked, or not given enough attention when it is present. This study examines population victimology textbooks for the inclusion of disability and other important topics that may be overlooked.

Authors

• Leslie-Dawn Quick, Marshall University

• Radscheda R. Nobles, Winston-Salem State University