Fourteen papers on victim research findings address the immediate and long-term effects of criminal victimization and the response to the victim by various professionals. Under an expanded concept of victimization, a number of papers address research on the victimizing impact of natural and environmental disasters. The research reported pertains to victimization due to murder and robbery, rape, child and adolescent sexual abuse, incest, pharmaceutical violence against children, spouse abuse, family murder, victimization of the handicapped, arson, chronic technological disasters, class discrimination in India, and monitoring the quality of life of disaster victims. Six papers on the prevention and treatment of various types of victimization focus on hostagetaking, rape, incest, and child abuse. Five papers dealing with the public policy response to victimization consider developments and achievements in victims' rights in the United States; victim-offender mediation for violent crimes; victim compensation in Great Britain; legislation to address workplace violence in Sweden; and legislative revisions regarding pornography and sexual violence in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. For individual chapters, see NCJ 126952-76. Chapter bibliographies and data tables