Victimology Spring 2014

University of Pennsylvania
School of Nursing Family and Community Department Title: NURS 333 Victimology Credit: 1 c.u.

Catalogue Description:
This course examines a wide range of victimization experiences from the perspective of victims, their families and society. A cross discipline approach to victimization will be utilized in this course. Theories related to victimization from victimology, sociology, psychology, womens studies and criminology will be explored. Millions of Americans are victimized every year. Until the mid-1970s, the plight of the crime victim was not systematically addressed. Reasons for this include the tendency to blame the victim for the offenders behavior and placing responsibility and burden of proof on the victim. The current approach to the impact of crime on victims will be discussed and victims rights emphasized. Controversies in the study of Victimology will be discussed. The concept of social justice is explored in this class through a victimology lens. Students will examine the reactions of victims and their families to various crimes. Myths supporting a victim-blaming belief pattern will be explored. Additionally, those institutions designed to provide assistance to victims will be examined, including counseling and support services, health care services, law enforcement, and the courts. Placement: Spring 2014 Faculty: Course Director: Kathleen Brown, PhD, RN, CRNP, Diplomate, Fellow Associate Practice Professor of Nursing School of Nursing Office 412 Telephone: 215-898-6679 E-mail: brownkm@nursing.upenn.edu Support Faculty: Elaine Morrison Faino Email:
morrke@nursing.upenn.edu

Office Hours: Monday 12 - 3 Wed 10-4 And by appointment

Pre-requisites: This course is offered to all undergraduate and graduate students within the University

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Required Text:
None

Additional Class Materials:

Online Course Materials (class schedule, syllabus, research articles, handouts, Power Point presentations, and videos) are available on the canvas site for the class. The University of Pennsylvania Libraries houses the canvas site. This course will include an on-line recitation session. The on line recitation session will consist of readings, videos and related research each week. Recitation time may be scheduled at the convenience of the student. This course is paperless. Students will obtain information and submit assignments via the course canvas site.

Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Recognize social attitudes and perceptions toward victimization 2. Discuss the role of the victim in the commission of crime 3. Identify common psychological and physical responses to victimization 4. Identify potential legal aspects of victimization 5. Recognize victim trauma responses both immediate and long term 6. Analyze response patterns in victims of crime 7. Describe support services available to victims of crime 8. Describe methods to avoid victimization 9. Discuss the impact of crime on families of crime victims 10. Discuss the impact of crime on the community 11. Discuss current controversies in Victimology 12. Explore the concept of social justice through the lens of victimology.

Teaching Methods:
The lecture content for Victimology is taught via faculty and guest speakers using lecture, discussion and case study methodology. Faculty and guest speakers have extensive and varied backgrounds. Guest speakers will include victims of crime.

Attendance:
Attendance on time for lectures is expected in Nursing 333. The student is responsible for any missed class materials and information presented in lecture. Participation in recitation is required.

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GRADING CRITERIA:
Essays Final Exam 80% 20%

ASSIGNMENTS:
Grading for this class is based on writing assignments. Understanding of the course material should be reflected in your assignments. Scope of the assignments is broad enough to allow the student to incorporate his or her major course of study into the essays, but the primary focus must be victimization. Research, different from the students usual and comfortable resources, is required for this course. Our wonderful on line library has easy access to scholarly articles on victimology, psychology, sociology, and criminology. Pubmed, a library search engine, has a good selection of academic articles relevant to victimology. Any or all of the resources you find may be used to write papers for this class. Essay number one: 15% of final grade. Due: 2/3 Choose one of the following crimes for discussion: child abuse, rape and sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence or human trafficking. Choose the topic carefully because it will be explored in all three essays. Chart the path of the victim through government agencies. Research and then write a small two page or longer, but less than ten page, double spaced paper about government agencies a victim is likely to encounter when the chosen crime is reported to police. For example: What is the role of the police as it relates to the victim? The role of the criminal justice system? The role of social services agencies? The role of health care? Funding streams for government agencies should be mentioned. The amount of detail included about funding mechanisms may be chosen by the student. Media may or may not be included in the paper as a discussion point. Write at least one paragraph about the victims contact with each agency. For example: A person calls the police after a mugging. Who might be the first point of contact? What is that persons role? What is that person trained to ask or assess? What are the next possible points of contact? Include in this paper information about the role of the victim in interactions with these agencies. Be clear about the agencies duties and responsibilities to the victim. Grading: Spend time with literature, especially academic literature. Wikipedia is a good start, but the student must progress to academic literature. Popular media may be used to enhance the paper. Grading will be determined by depth of investigation, accuracy of the answer and ability to clearly articulate findings. Essay number two: 20% of final grade. Due 2/24 In this essay, explore further the path of the victim in your chosen crime after official reporting makes the crime public information. What are the possible family and community responses

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to the victimization? What are the potential help resources for victims, different from official government agencies, based within the community? Conclude this paper with an assessment of what is helpful within communities and what is not helpful. The student may define the word community. For example: Limit discussion to urban or rural communities. Limit discussion to college campuses as a community. Limit discussion to neighborhoods as communities. Limit discussion to a city as a community. The student may look at a specific city or campus and explore the resources that exist currently. Grading: Spend time with literature, including academic literature, and write a thoughtful three to five page, or up to ten page, double-spaced paper. Grading will be determined by depth of investigation, accuracy of the answer and ability to clearly articulate findings.

Essay number three: 20% of final grade. Due: 3/24 In this last of this essay series, write a paper that evaluates the current systems of response to victimization and include suggestions for improvement of social agencies and community resources. Funding may be discussed in this essay as the student wishes. How, via your informed position, can social agencies that interact with victims be improved? How can community resources be improved? The positions taken in this paper must be clearly supported by literature as well as by fabulous student thinking. Grading: Spend time with literature, including academic literature, and write a thoughtful three to five page, or up to ten pages, double-spaced paper. Grading will be determined by accuracy of the answer and ability to clearly articulate findings as well as creativity and feasibility.

Essay Number Four/Research Paper: 25% of final grade. Due: 4/14 The research paper in this class focuses on current information available about one narrowed down topic from our course. The student may choose a topic. Write based on a question or interest that developed during your preparation for classes. The more narrow the topic, the more complete the research process can be. Suggestions for the final essay: Witness intimidation If the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms, can state and federal government strictly limit access to ammunition under the constitution? Videotaping of victim interviews Stalking via modern technology Child witnessing of domestic violence Drug facilitated sexual assault Incest

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Suicide prevention on college campuses The current emergency mental health system in America The impact of the Innocence Project on the American criminal justice system Stand-your-ground laws in the United States Stop and Frisk laws in the United States Racism as it relates to one form of victimization Social justice as it relates to one form of victimization Victim/offender concept as it relates to one form of victimization The impact of incarceration on families

This paper can be as short as five pages or as long as it takes you to express a research summary. This paper will be graded on the depth of your literature review, your choice of topic and your ability to express yourself about the topic. This essay is due on 4/14.

Final Examination: 20% of final grade. Due May 13 At least three, independent from each other, essay questions will be given to students during the last day of class. Answers to the questions are due on May 13, when the semester ends. The essay questions will be related to course content. Answers must be reflect comprehension of course material.

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Lecture Schedule

Date

Topic

Speaker

Assignment Reminders

1/15

Course Introduction Victimization

Dr. Brown

1/27

Victimization Re-victimization

Dr. Brown Guest: Victim of child sexual abuse Azucena Ugarte Essay one due Director of Education and Training, Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia Dr. Brown

2/3 Family Violence

2/10

Abuse of Children

2/17

Victims and the Criminal Justice System

Kevin Harden J.D. Philadelphia District Attorneys Office

2/24

Risks for Victimization

Dr. Brown

Essay Two Due

3/3 Sexual Violence Dr. Brown Guest: Victim of sexual assault

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3/17 Human Trafficking 3/24 Hate Crimes & Bullying Cultural Aspects of Victimization Guest: Survivor of Human Trafficking Dr. Brown Essay three due

3/31

Juveniles

Dr. Brown

4/7

Project Innocence Marissa Bluestein Pennsylvania Innocence Project Guest: innocent/exonerated and released from prison

4/14

Stalking in the technology era

Dr. Cronin Corporal Pennsylvania State Police

Research paper due

4/21

Diagnosis and treatment of mental illness history and current dilemmas

Dr. Brown

4/28 Mass Incarceration Dr. Brown

Final exam questions will be distributed. Answers due May 13

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