Citation

Haines K, Charles A. J. Victimol. Victim Just. 2019; 2(1): 90-108.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/2516606918819282

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article draws upon research undertaken in South Wales to understand children's views concerning what it means to be a 'victim' of crime and their experiences, in that context, of engaging with the criminal justice system. Significantly, and moving beyond traditional policy and service provision concerns, child participants argued passionately that not only did adults fail to provide them with appropriate advice and support, but that their understandings of victimhood were inaccurate. Rather, children articulated an almost zemiological understanding of 'harm' which was the basis for an alternative way of understanding what it was to be a 'victim'. Furthermore, children suggested that they were not taken seriously by an adult-led criminal justice system and that the operation of that system did not address their needs. Reflections are offered in this article concerning children's views, and the profound implications that their alternative discourse pose for criminal justice policymakers and practitioners.

Language: en

Keywords

Children; consultation; participation; service provision; victim policy