Lifestyles and Victimization: an Update

Abstract

The international course in criminology has an impressive history and is universally considered to be one of the major scholarly events in the field of criminology. Organized jointly by the International Society of Criminology (Paris) and one of the world's leading universities, the course has been held in various cities and capitals all over the globe. Each year the course is devoted to a general theme chosen for its importance and currency. The theme selected for the 33rd international course was "Victims of Crime", a most timely topic. The course was held at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, in March 1983 and was generously funded through grants from Simon Fraser University, the Solicitor General of Canada and the Federal Department of Justice. The course dealt with both theoretical and applied aspects of victimology and examined in depth the problems of research and practice encountered in this young and growing discipline. The course was attended by one hundred and fifty participants from Canada, the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. The international faculty for the course consisted of some of the world's best experts and recognized authorities in the field of victimology. Each faculty member invited was asked to prepare one or two original papers for the course. This yielded over forty previously unpublished papers. The present volume, devoted mainly to research and policy issues, contains seventeen of the best papers prepared. The papers were selected for their superior quality and the importance of the topics they cover.