(5 credits)

What is the relationship between victims and those who commit crimes against them? How does the criminal justice system protect victims of crime? Who are the secondary victims of crime? In this course, students explore how victims interact with the police and the legal system and their patterns and tendencies. Students review how factors such as class, race, and sexual orientation affect the perception of the victim by different constituents, including the public, the court system, and the media. Students assess the concept of primary and secondary victims and gain knowledge about the range of services and resources available to victims.