THE CRIME VICTIM'S BOOK

by Morton & Dawn Sangrey Bard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1978

How crime victims behave after the event: a straightforward introduction to victimology, which covers in some depth what the media usually distort. Bard, a psychology professor, and Sangrey, a freelance writer, investigate the victim's feelings following a crime--disorientation, violation, helplessness--and show how insensitivity (from friends, family, police, etc.) can compound the hurt or, conversely, how tactful crisis intervention can speed the individual's recovery. Theirs is an informal survey (""suggestive rather than definitive"") but victims could read it and benefit from their findings. They include case histories of crime victims, what they share (such as a search for blame) and which are most vulnerable: ironically, victims unharmed physically may suffer more shame and guilt. In addition, the authors offer summaries of each aspect of the post-crime process--brusque policemen, court appearances, bureaucratic bungles--and suggest where to go for counseling and other sources of help. The victim needs support, they maintain; and although they don't set up such traumas as rapes and muggings as growth experiences, they insist that most victims are much changed by these incidents but can overcome the disturbing aftereffects.

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1978

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Basic Books

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1978

Categories: NONFICTION