LW3CRV: Critical Victimology

Module code: LW3CRV

Module provider: School of Law

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Jo Phoenix , email: j.b.m.phoenix@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): This module is only available to BSc Criminology students (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

A major part of understanding crime and justice is an analysis of the experiences of victims and the processes by which the experience of being victimised is (or is not) recognised by the criminal justice system. This module provides students with an overview of the emergence of victimology and the main theoretical perspectives of positivist, radical and critical victimology. Students will gain a critical understanding of the role of ‘the victim’ in criminal justice policy and in the administration of justice, the impact of crime on individuals, and the extent to which criminal justice systems can offer ‘justice’ to victims of crime.

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The modules aims to:

• To stimulate students’ interest in thinking about victims, victimisation and justice
• To introduce students to the range of concepts and research methods for understanding the experiences of victims of crime
• To introduce students to major theoretical perspectives of victimology, the key questions and key concepts that are used
• To develop in students a critical appreciation of the sub-discipline of victimology, its strength and weaknesses.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. To develop a critical appreciation of the sub-discipline of victimology, its strengths and weaknesses
2. An ability to appreciate alternative sources of data as a basis for understanding people's experiences of being a victim of crime
3. To have a sound, critical knowledge of the nature and extent of crime and its impact on individuals
4. To critically evaluate the efficacy of the concept of the victim and victim-oriented policies within the contemporary cultural context.

Module content

Listed below is an indicative outline of the main lectures:��

• What is victimology and what is its relationship to criminology or the study of criminal justice?����
• What are the main perspectives within victimology?����
• What are the key concepts used in critical victimology? From ideal victim to victimization.��
• Biographical accounts and life historical sources of data in victimology: what do people's accounts of their victimhood tell us?��
• How do we study the impact of crime on individuals? What is the difference between primary and secondary victimisation?����
• The emergence of “the victim” in social and political policies: from the Victim’s Charter to The Victims Code��
• What do we know about the experience of victims in the administration of criminal justice? A detailed examination of rape and other forms of sexual violence from the perspective of the victim.��
• What do we know about the experience of victims in the administration of criminal justice? A detailed examination of alternatives to criminal justice from the perspective of the victim.��
• Hidden victimisation and crimes of the powerful part 1��
• Hidden victimisation and crimes of the powerful part 2��

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials supplemented by blended learning exercises and activities. Students are expected to undertake 150 hours of independent study comprised largely of reading. Lectures will give students a framework within which to approach their reading. Seminars and tutorial will give students a chance to consolidate their understanding of the literature, exercise their understanding, engage in debate and discussion and present their ideas.

Study hours

At least 37 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs