Something Bad Happened Last Night: The Study of the Victim's Role in the Criminal Justice System

Something Bad Happened Last Night: The Study of the Victim’s Role in the Criminal Justice System is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis of all crime victims and the various ways in which crime impacts crime victims. This text is an introductory exploration of crime victims, the impact of crime, and the role of the crime victim in the criminal justice process, with a special focus on victims of violent crime.

Due to the introductory nature of this text, many groups of crime victims do not receive extensive discussion. That is not meant to mitigate the importance of those crime victims, or the devastating impact of crimes such as bullying, fraud, identity theft, and human trafficking. Similarly, crimes that are explored in this text, such as homicide, intimate partner violence, and stalking, are only surveyed.

This text is intended to introduce the reader to the discipline of victimology, and to introduce the reader to the role of victim advocacy. Advanced training is recommended if a reader is interested in working more directly with any type of crime victim.