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Abstract

Guided by cultural and critical theories of victimology, this study investigates the impact of violent offending on the family members of violent offenders in Canada. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four family members of violent offenders and five victim service providers, and through critical discourse analysis of 687 media articles. Results suggest that while the family members of violent offenders face long-lasting social and psychological harms as a result of their loved ones’ violent offending, they often do not fit the service mandate of victim service organisations. Victim service providers recognise the harms caused and will often do what they can to provide practical support and referrals, even when it falls outside of their service mandate. Two victim service organisations classify family members of violent offenders as victims, while three do not; this leaves many family members of violent offenders with no formal support options. Results from the media analysis demonstrate the role that media plays in withholding victim status and contributing to the stigmatisation of family members of violent offenders. The implications of these findings are that family members of violent offenders do not meet the definition of ‘victim’ as defined by modern cultural, legal, and institutional definitions and therefore do not have access to appropriate support.

Course: Criminal Justice - MSc - C2681F

Date Deposited: 2023-05-11

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14133.html