ABSTRACT
As discussed in Chapter 5, focusing on victim characteristics and examining the role those play in victim targeting or selection promises much richer information in criminal proling than individual oender analysis. One of the greatest challenges in victimology is determining which factors are more pertinent and from whose perspective the data should be analyzed. For example, the industry itself is divided in terms of the role that individual professionals (victim advocate, victim service provider, victimologist, etc.) play in the overall analysis and resolution of a criminal incident. e question should be: Which of these professionals has access to and can provide information useful in creating a prole for an unknown oender? Further, to what extent is the developing eld of forensic victimology able to oer insights unique to victim target selection criteria?
