Your task this week is to provide a 250 word reflection comparing and contrasting different constructions of victims and offenders and the factors that you think may contribute to these differences....

Victims and offenders: A gradual social construct.
The classification of victims and offenders as two separate categories is basically a societal representation of crime and justice. It is a psychological and a social construction that takes place subtly and gradually and assigns modes to relate and recognize the real issues of existence. Identity construct of an individual is internal and external and so is the case with victims and offenders identity construction. The internal factors determine the self esteem of the person whereas external things focus on issues like social acceptance and rejection.
    The word victim presupposes that harm has already been done. This status is not fixed but socially constructed. It is seen as the criteria of weakness, femaleness and helplessness. The sufferer is the one who is generally weak in relation to the offender, is non-threatening, easy to sympathize with, and of lower competence. The observers of the victim individually and collectively play and imperative role in establishment of the victimhood. Motive of justice is also an important factor in construction of the victim. To fulfill the needs of justice the victim is used as a means to achieve the...