Racist victimization: An introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a brief historical overview of the study of victimology. It discusses some of the issues surrounding racist victimization. Most of the early work involving the study of victims focused on theoretical issues around a theme generically described as the art of blaming the victim. The book examines the wider implications for the changes in the law, and reflects on the history, trends and patterns of racist victimization in Britain. It deals with an assessment of whether understanding of, and policing and criminal justice responses to racist victimization have improved and been sustained. Crime in particular has historically been one of the most important social issues identified with ethnicity, race, and migration. Migrants, according to the author, are primarily the victims of racist victimization in the country although this type of victimization is experienced by other groups as well.