Victimology: Theory, Impact and Global Rights Frameworks
Published:
Questions
30
Duration
30 min
Faculty-reviewed
0
Updated
16 Sept 2026
About this mock
This mock covers victimology as a distinct field: its founding theorists and early concepts, victim-offender relationships and culpability typologies, the psychological and physical impact of victimisation, and the primary, secondary and tertiary layers of harm a victim can experience.
It also tests repeat and near-repeat victimisation, lifestyle exposure and routine activity theory, the fear-of-crime paradox, cost-of-crime estimation and victimisation-survey methodology, the international frameworks that codify victim rights, victim assistance and therapeutic jurisprudence, and mass and cyber victimology.
Topics covered:
- History of victimology and its founding concepts
- Victim-offender relationship and victim typologies
- Psychological and physical impact of victimisation
- Primary, secondary and tertiary victimisation
- Repeat victimisation, lifestyle exposure and fear of crime
- Cost of crime and victimisation surveys
- International frameworks for victim rights
- Victim assistance, NGOs and therapeutic jurisprudence
- Mass victimisation and cyber victimology
Aimed at students and practitioners who already know the basics of victimology and are ready to be tested on the field's theoretical foundations, its measurement methods and its rights instruments.
Allow 30 minutes.
Sources & references
Questions in this mock are written and verified against the following sources. Citations are recorded per question and shown in the explanation after submission.
- cited in 3 questions
- cited in 1 question
APA/NCBI summary of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Acute Stress Disorder and PTSD
ASD symptoms span 3 days to 1 month post-trauma; PTSD requires symptoms beyond 1 month
Open source - cited in 1 question
Victimology branch classification (general, penal, clinical/applied)
Clinical victimology as the treatment- and support-focused applied branch
Open source - cited in 1 question
Mass victimisation literature (genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity)
Branch covering harm inflicted on large numbers of people through organised state or group violence
- cited in 1 question
Raffan Gowar, Measuring the costs of crime using the willingness-to-pay method (2023)
Contingent valuation/willingness-to-pay used to monetise intangible harms like fear and reduced quality of life
Open source - cited in 1 question
Cost-of-crime accounting literature (tangible vs intangible costs)
Tangible costs include medical/mental health treatment and property loss; intangible costs cover pain, fear and reduced quality of life
Open source - cited in 1 question
Tedeschi and Calhoun, posttraumatic growth theory
Definition of PTG as positive psychological change following struggle with a highly challenging life event
Open source - cited in 1 question
van Dijk, Mayhew and Killias, International Crime Victims Survey
ICVS designed for standardised, cross-national comparison of victimisation, independent of police-recorded crime
Open source - cited in 1 question
Cohen and Felson, Routine Activity Theory (1979)
Convergence of a motivated offender, a suitable target and the absence of a capable guardian
Open source - cited in 1 question
Secondary victimisation literature (victim services / criminal justice response)
Distinction between primary victimisation (the crime) and secondary victimisation (institutional response)
- cited in 1 question
McGlynn and Rackley, Image-Based Sexual Abuse (Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 2017)
Term chosen to cover non-consensual creation/sharing of intimate images regardless of the perpetrator's motive
Open source - cited in 1 question
Vicarious trauma literature (occupational trauma exposure in victim-facing professions)
Cumulative effect on counsellors, police, forensic examiners and lawyers repeatedly exposed to others' trauma
- cited in 1 question
Wexler and Winick, Therapeutic Jurisprudence
Law and legal procedure as a potential therapeutic or antitherapeutic agent, applied to courtroom and judicial practice reform
Open source - cited in 1 question
US DOJ Office for Victims of Crime, restitution vs compensation
Restitution is court-ordered payment from the convicted offender; compensation is a state-funded program
Open source - cited in 1 question
UN General Assembly Resolution 40/34 (1985)
Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
Open source - cited in 1 question
One-stop centre / Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) model
St Mary's SARC, Manchester (1986), first UK centre combining forensic, medical and counselling services in one location
Open source - cited in 1 question
- cited in 1 question
Smith and Freyd, Institutional Betrayal (2014)
Definition: wrongdoing by a trusted institution against those dependent on it, including failure to respond supportively to a disclosure
Open source - cited in 1 question
Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council
Establishes minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, replacing Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA
Open source - cited in 1 question
UN General Assembly Resolution 40/34 (1985), Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
Access to justice and fair treatment principle: victims' views and concerns presented and considered at appropriate stages of proceedings
Open source - cited in 1 question
Johnson and Bowers, near-repeat victimisation research
Spatio-temporal buffer: burglary risk to nearby homes elevated roughly 12x in the first month after an incident
Open source - cited in 1 question
Disaster victimology sub-field literature
Extension of victimology to mass-casualty, non-criminal harm such as earthquakes and industrial disasters
- cited in 1 question
Cyber victimology sub-field literature
Study of harm through online and digital means, e.g. harassment, cyberstalking, fraud, image-based sexual abuse
- cited in 1 question
Victimisation-fear (fear-of-crime) paradox literature
Lower-risk groups such as older adults reporting disproportionately higher fear of crime
Open source - cited in 1 question
Wolfgang, Patterns in Criminal Homicide (1958)
Philadelphia homicide case analysis, 1948-1952, victim-precipitated homicide finding
Open source - cited in 1 question
Von Hentig, The Criminal and His Victim (1948), as summarised in victimology course literature
General classes of victims (young, female, old, mentally defective, depressed, etc.)
Open source - cited in 1 question
Mendelsohn's victim culpability scale, as summarised in victimology course literature
Six-point scale from completely innocent to imaginary/simulating victim
Open source - cited in 1 question
Lerner, just-world hypothesis literature on victim blaming
General discussion of victim blaming as shifting responsibility onto the person harmed
How our mocks are built
Questions are written and edited by the ForensicSpot team and cited from peer-reviewed forensic textbooks, official syllabi and primary case law. Each one is verified before publishing. Detailed explanations show after you submit, so the test stays a real test. See a mistake? Tell us.
Common questions
What does the Victimology: Theory, Impact and Global Rights Frameworks mock cover?+
This mock covers victimology as a distinct field: its founding theorists and early concepts, victim-offender relationships and culpability typologies, the psychological and physical impact of victimisation, and the primary, secondary and tertiary layers of harm a victim can experience. It also tests repeat and near-repeat victimisation, lifestyle exposure and routine activity theory, the fear-of-crime paradox, cost-of-crime estimation and victimisation-survey methodology, the international fram
How many questions and how long is the test?+
30 multiple-choice questions, 30 minutes total. Difficulty: hard. Tier: Premium.
Who is this mock for?+
Forensic science students and aspirants who want timed, exam-style practice with explanations and verified source citations on Criminology. Useful for postgraduate entrance preparation and for BSc / MSc forensic students testing their recall under time.
Are the questions reviewed?+
Each question carries a verified source citation. Faculty review for individual questions is in progress.
Do I need an account to take this mock?+
Yes, a free ForensicSpot account is required to start a timed attempt, which lets you save progress, see per-question explanations after submission, and track your topic-level performance over time.