How to Write a Victimology
- 1). Explain the basic nature of the case in question, providing the victim's name and condition along with any other details of the case that stand out, such as if a weapon was found at the scene or if there were any witnesses.
- 2). Identify the victim and provide his basic characteristics such as age, ethnicity and general state of health. Provide an overview of the victim's family background, employment and any close friends or enemies. Social Security number, address, phone number and other statistics should also be listed when available.
- 3). Write more specifically about the victim's education and work background, including any schools he attended, jobs he held and if he was a part of any work-related organizations. Military experience would also be listed here along with any performance reviews or general consensus of the victim's work performance. Any award or disciplinary actions given to the victim should also be included, especially if they were recent.
- 4). Provide details about the victim's general state of physical and mental health. List any known medical conditions, ailments, medications or past injuries. Likewise, elaborate on any history of psychological counseling or substance abuse in this section. Any scars or tattoos should be mentioned with their origins detailed if you can. The more information, the better.
- 5). Investigate the victim's general lifestyle and identify any risk behaviors that stand out. For example, the neighborhood where he lives or works could have a crime history. A gambling history would be another example of what should be included here.
- 6). Discuss the autopsy findings if the victim was murdered or the doctor's examination findings in the event of assault or rape. The opinion of the doctor or coroner could be very useful in determining what happened during the crime.
- 7). Give an explanation of the crime scene, along with who arrived on scene first, who called emergency services, etc. Describe the room or home in which the victim was found and note if the victim lived or worked at or near the crime scene.
- 8). Cover the forensic findings and extrapolate possible scenarios that go along with the findings regarding method of attack, victim resistance and any possible profile of the criminal.
- 9). Finish the report by providing suggestions for how law enforcement should continue the investigation, including any suspects they should look into or leads they should follow up on.
