"The book examines victim policy within criminal justice jurisdictions across the western world, situating this within a broader cultural, social, political and economic context. The author thoroughly explores the impact of crime upon victims and the establishment of victim initiatives, suggesting future developments in the field of victimisation. Issues of diversity are given a particular focus and it is argued that differences between victims in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, faith, disability and sexual orientation, have been inefficiently captured by social scientists."--BOOK JACKET.