Undergraduate - UnitAZA2470 - Victimology in South Africa

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Social Science, South Africa
Offered	South Africa First semester 2013 (Day) South Africa Second semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Ms Tara Harris

Synopsis

This unit entails an introduction to victimology with an exposition of the concepts victim/survivor, empowerment, prevention and redress with reference to various schools of thought and current scholarly debates. Victimisation is studied within a domestic and comparative context focusing on the socio-economic, political and cultural dimensions of victimisation. Within a human rights framework, analyses refer to the abuse of power, institutional and structural victimisation and victim/offender homogeneity, sequences and victim recidivism. Through the application of victimisation theory and perspectives to particular contexts, victimisation vulnerability is assessed.

Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

Understand the study field of victimology
Apply knowledge of criminal victimisation theories and perspectives/approaches to particular contexts
Demonstrate the ability critically to assess victimisation risk and to develop victimisation vulnerability profiles
Critically appraise the impact of criminal victimisation on individuals, society, the ecology and economy
Demonstrate knowledge of empowerment strategies for survivors of crime
Use appropriate science and technology effectively and responsibly when dealing with victimisation without harming society, the environment or individuals
Work and communicate with others as members of multi-disciplinary teams to deal effectively with victimisation.

Assessment

Written essay (1600 words): 35%; Tutorial assessments (450 words each): 20%; Written examinations (2hours): 45%

Chief examiner(s)

Ms Tara Harris

Contact hours

One 2-hours lecture and one 1-hour tutorial session per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Criminology and criminal justice

Prohibitions

ATS2470, ATS3470, AZA3470