ABSTRACT

The status of victims of crime has altered significantly in the last century. The study of victims has moved from the margins of criminological theory to the discipline of victimology. Crime surveys have extended their remit to include information concerning victims’ experiences of the impact of crime and the responses of criminal justice agencies. The role of victims in the criminal justice system has also been reconsidered, as victims have become ‘key player[s]’ rather than ‘forgotten actor[s]’ in the criminal process (Zedner, 2002, p. 419).