Comparing Criminal Victimization Theories: Hentig, Mendeksohn, and Schafer

Abstract

CJ401 Compare and Contrast Criminal Victimization Theories While focusing on Hentig, Mendeksohn and Schafer’s theories, it is open that they have significantly influenced human understanding of criminal victimization. While analyzing the theory of victim precipitation, Hentig emphasized on how victims characteristics influence criminal behavior (00:30-01:53). His insights into the victims’ behavior highlighted that victim inadvertently provoke or even contribute to their victimization. It is a theory that acknowledges that victimization is not solely determined by the offender but rather shaped by the victim’s characteristics ranging from behavior, interactions and circumstances. Since the theory revolves around victims characteristics, blaming the victim for their own victimization becomes its main weakness. Basically, this theory ignores offender’s responsibility thus lacking empirical support to justify how victim’s behavior remains as the main origin of victimization. Nevertheless, it has significantly contributed to victimology as it shifted the focus of analyzing criminals from sole offenders to include victim perspectives and behaviors in understanding victimization. One can also argue that this theory highlighted the importance of considering victims characteristics in crime prevention strategies as well as victim support services thus significantly impacting policies in criminology. On the other hand, unlike Hentig who developed his theory in the 40s, Mendelsohn developed a very interesting theory of victim-precipitated homicide in the 1950’s. Hentig was a professor and a scholar while Mendelsohn was a practicing attorney giving the two differential approaches in their theoretical approaches (00:15-54). In this regard, Mendelsohn’s theory provided detailed case studies of homicide incidents thus offering a rich qualitative data to support any of his claims and arguments therein. The theory also offered a nuanced understanding on how victims actively contribute to the escalation of violent situations especially with regard to homicides. However, as much as his theory proved empirically sound, they had limited generalizability because of his concentration on specific crimes limiting application...