Department of Victim Studies

VCST 5364. Seminar in Victimology. 3 Hours.

Students critically examine the study of criminal victimization. Students analyze theories of crime victimization, findings from contemporary research, typologies, best practices, and policy implications. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5364 .

VCST 5365. Seminar in Crime Victim Services and Management. 3 Hours.

Students examine research, policy, and practice within the area of leadership and management within the field of victim services. This advanced topics course explores issues associated with non-profit agency management, leadership, and management in the criminal justice and victim services. This course also focuses on leadership strategies and management techniques. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5365 .

VCST 5366. Advocacy and Case Management. 3 Hours.

Students engage with an advanced understanding of advocacy work. Bridging research, policy, and practice, students explore the history of the victim rights movement and principles of empowerment-based advocacy. Issues surrounding confidentiality, professionalism, and ethics in service provision are also explored. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5366
Prerequisite: none.

VCST 5368. Human Sex Trafficking. 3 Hours.

Students explore the scope and magnitude of global and domestic human sex trafficking as well as synthesize the research on antecedents to entry into the sex trade and mental and physical health outcomes from trafficking victimization. Traffickers and solicitors are examined in light of criminological and victimology theory and research. Students evaluate and assess public policy, criminal justice responses, and social service delivery for victims of trafficking in terms of effectiveness. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5368
Prerequisite: none.

VCST 5370. Elder Abuse and Victimization. 3 Hours.

Students examine the social, physical, and physcological dimensions of elder abuse and victimization. Students explore types and prevalence of abuse, theoretical perspectives, and the roles of law, social services, law enforcement, and healthcare in responding to these crimes. Students also consider aging trends in the U.S. and initiatives to protect older adults. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5370
Prerequisite: none.

VCST 5371. Interpersonal Violence. 3 Hours.

Students explore non-lethal and lethal violence occurring over the life course between or among persons who are typically related by blood, legal union, or cohabitation. This includes intimate partners, children, parents and other family members, as well as close friends. Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of community-based resources for preventing or responding to interpersonal violence, along with history of public policy. In addition, students evaluate the challenges of coordinating efforts among legal, medical, and social service providers. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5371
Prerequisite: none.

VCST 5372. Cybervictimization. 3 Hours.

Students evaluate how cybertechnologies contribute to victimization. Topics will include how to incorporate technology related factors into victimization intervention, prevention, and policy.

VCST 5374. Murder Victimization. 3 Hours.

Students explore issues related to murder victimization. Topics will include factors related to murder victimization risk, grief and coping of the victims' family, larger societal issues, as well as system responses.

VCST 5376. Mental Illness & Victimization. 3 Hours.

Students investigate the victimization of individuals with mental illness in the United States. Particular attention is paid to how systems of social control have traditionally (re)victimized individuals with mental illness. Students explore historical perspectives, current theoretical considerations, available services, and promising programs to develop a deeper knowledge concerning people with mental illness as victims and their victimization experiences.

VCST 5383. Family Violence. 3 Hours.

Students examine the theoretical, sociological, and practical dimensions of family violence. Topics may include child abuse, sibling abuse, intimate partner violence, stalking, and elder abuse. Students evaluate reserach, policy, and practice related to victim-offender dynamics, theoretical explanations for battering, danger assessment, and barriers to help-seeking. Students also explore the criminal justice system's response - including law enforcement, judicial, and legislative approaches - to family violence. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5383
Prerequisite: None.

VCST 5384. Child Abuse and Neglect. 3 Hours.

Students evaluate research, policy, and practice in addressing the history and development of the child saving movement in the United States. Students examine practical considerations for advocates, including mandatory reporting, confidentiality, and abuse and neglect indicators. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5384
Prerequisite: None.

VCST 5385. Non-Profit Grant Writing. 3 Hours.

Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the grant writing process in nonprofit management and victim service organizations. The course covers identifying funding opportunities; interpreting requests for proposals (RFPs); and developing persuasive, evidence-based proposals aligned with organizational and funder priorities. Emphasis is placed on proposal writing, budgeting, logic model development, and strategies for cultivating funder relationships and managing grants. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 5385 .

VCST 6330. Neurobiology of Trauma. 3 Hours.

Students obtain an advanced understanding of the role of the brain, brain systems, and hormone/chemical responses in explaining reactions to experiencing and witnessing a variety of traumatic events, including crime victimization. Students evaluate how the neurobiology of trauma impacts victim reactions and behaviors, as well as how our criminal-legal and victim service systems exacerbate or respond to the trauma response. Evidence based practices for trauma responsive practice and victim advocacy are synthesized in light of recent advances in neuroscience of trauma. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 6330
Prerequisite: none.

VCST 6338. Coordinating Victim Services. 3 Hours.

Students examine professional stakeholders in victim service delivery to ensure efficient, professional, and cooperative victim-centered responses to trauma and criminal victimization. Students evaluate the preventative and reactive mechanisms available to a range of government and non-government providers and synthesizes the management of these victim service provisions. Additionally, students explore the challenges of coordinating efforts between different professional organizations and ways to critically and effectively address problems. Course Equivalents: CRIJ 6338
Prerequisite: none.

VCST 6393. Independent Study in Victim Studies. 3 Hours.

Students examine a topic related to victim studies. Under the direct supervision of a faculty member, the faculty and student formulate a course of study which could include reviewing relevant literature, engaging in research, exploring professional practice, or conducting other forms of inquiry appropriate to the course of study. The course may be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and Department Approval.

VCST 6394. Special Topics in Victim Studies. 3 Hours.

Students examine special topics in the field of victimology and victim services. This course is designed to give Victim Services Management graduate students academic flexibility. Students may repeat this course for credit when topics differ.