Observers' motivated sensitivity to stigmatized actors' intent.

Does a harmful act appear more intentional-and worthy of opprobrium-if it was committed by a member of a stigmatized group? In two studies (N = 1,451), participants read scenarios in which an actor caused a homicide. We orthogonally manipulated the relative presence or absence of distal intent (a focus on the end) and proximal intent (a focus on the means) in the actor's mind. We also varied the actor's racial (Study 1) or political (Study 2) group. In both studies, participants judged the stigmatized actor more harshly than the non-stigmatized actor when the actor's level of intent was ambiguous (i.e., one form of intent was high and the other form of intent was low). These data suggest that observers apply a sliding threshold when judging an actor's intent and moral responsibility; whereas less-stigmatized actors elicit condemnation only when they cause the outcome with both types of intent in mind, more-stigmatized actors elicit condemnation when only one type, or even neither type (Study 2) of intent is in their mind. We discuss how these results enrich the literature on lay theories of intentionality.

Indirect victims of violence: a look at health impacts. / Vítimas indiretas da violência: um olhar sobre os impactos na saúde.

We sought to investigate the perceptions of indirect victims or family members of homicide victims, about the repercussions of these deaths on their health. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study was carried out, based on eight semi-structured individual interviews with two groups: family members of police officers victimized by lethal violence, and family members of people killed as a result of police intervention, designated here as homicide. Both groups reported the perception that their health deteriorated after the homicide, and mentioned problems such as depression, panic disorder, insomnia, heart conditions and eating disorders. They also highlighted the acquisition of habits that are harmful to health, such as the consumption of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and self-medication, and the worsening of pre-existing health issues. It was observed that the homicide committed and suffered by police agents affects various aspects of the lives of indirect victims that are inseparable from health issues in a broader sense. These people are also victims of this violence, although their suffering is often made invisible. Studying this topic helps to give space to the suffering and mourning of these people and to subsidize the best performance of the institutions and services involved.

Buscou-se investigar as percepções das vítimas indiretas, ou familiares de vítimas de homicídio, sobre as repercussões dessa morte em sua saúde. Fez-se um estudo qualitativo, exploratório, descritivo, a partir de oito entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com dois grupos: familiares de agentes policiais vitimados por violência letal, e familiares de pessoas mortas em decorrência de intervenção policial, aqui designada como homicídio. Ambos os grupos relataram a percepção de que sua saúde piorou após o homicídio, e mencionaram problemas de depressão, síndrome do pânico, insônia, problemas cardíacos e distúrbios alimentares. Destacaram ainda a aquisição de hábitos danosos à saúde, como consumo de bebidas alcoólicas, tabaco e automedicação, e o agravamento de problemas de saúde pré-existentes. Observou-se que o homicídio praticado e sofrido por agentes policiais afeta vários aspectos da vida das vítimas indiretas que são indissociáveis das questões de saúde em sentido ampliado. Essas pessoas também são vítimas dessa violência, embora muitas vezes tenham seu sofrimento invisibilizado. Estudar o tema contribui para dar espaço ao sofrimento e ao luto, e para subsidiar a melhor atuação das instituições e serviços envolvidos.

Relationship between bullying victimization and murderous behaviors and impulsivity's mediating role: Evidence from Chinese early adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests a robust relationship between experiencing bullying victimization (BV) and engaging in murderous behaviors among adolescents. However, the potential mediating effect of impulsivity on the relationship between BV and murderous behaviors in early adolescents remains underexplored. METHODS: A total of 5724 adolescents, with a mean age of 13.5 years, were enrolled from three middle schools in Anhui Province, China. Participants completed self-report questionnaires detailing their experiences with bullying, impulsiveness, and murderous behaviors. To assess the relationship between BV and murderous behaviors, multivariate logistic regression and Poisson regression analyses were conducted. Mediation analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding factors, a positive association was found between experiencing BV and engaging in murderous behaviors (p < 0.05). Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of BV on the occurrence of murderous behaviors through impulsivity (indirect effect = 0.027, 95 % CI: 0.021, 0.033). BV appears to heighten levels of impulsivity, which in turn increases the likelihood of murderous behaviors. Additionally, sex-specific analysis indicated that impulsivity played a greater mediating role in the link between verbal and relational BV and murderous behaviors in females, while physical and cyber BV were more significant in males. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the necessity of early targeted interventions for adolescents experiencing BV and exhibiting high levels of impulsivity to mitigate their risk of engaging in murderous behaviors.

Paternal Filicide in Sweden: Background, Risk Factors and the Cinderella Effect.

An overrepresentation of stepchildren as victims of filicide has been explained as a consequence of 'discriminative parental solicitude'. The idea being that Darwinian selection has favoured parental love and concern only for biological children, and when such parental feelings are absent, as in stepparents, conflicts with a child could easier escalate to lethal violence. An alternative explanation for this overrepresentation of stepchildren is that risk factors for filicide, such as criminal behaviour and mental health problems, are more prevalent in stepparents. This study focused on paternal filicide in Sweden and investigated (i) if stepchildren are overrepresented as victims of filicide compared with biological children, (ii) if filicides are committed in a context that implies a 'conflict with the child victim' and (iii) if stepfathers and biological fathers differ in characteristics associated with filicide risk. The analyses showed that stepchildren were overrepresented as victims compared with children of fathers in families with two biological parents and this overrepresentation was even higher in young children. Children of single biological fathers and children of non-residential biological fathers were also overrepresented as victims of filicide. Less than 20 percent of the filicides were committed in the context of a 'conflict with the child' and in these cases only stepchildren were overrepresented as victims. In the population at large, both stepfathers and single biological fathers had higher rates of mental health problems, violent criminality and illegal possession of drugs compared with fathers in families with two biological parents.

Assessing risk for severe domestic violence and related homicides perpetrated by partners and in-laws: adapted danger assessments for women in abusive relationships in India.

Despite domestic violence and related homicides perpetrated by partners and/or in-laws being a significant public health problem in India, there are no reliable and valid instruments to identify and intervene with women in domestic violence relationships. Continued domestic violence can escalate to severe, near-lethal, or lethal violence or homicide. The Danger Assessment (DA) is a risk assessment instrument designed to assess the likelihood of severe, near-lethal, or lethal violence in abusive relationships. However, the DA is not designed to determine the risk of future severe, near-lethal, or lethal violence by in-laws. In-law abuse plays a significant role in domestic violence-related homicides in India and other countries with similar cultural norms. This study addressed this gap by developing the Danger Assessment for in-laws (DA-L) to assess risk from in-laws, alongside the Danger Assessment for Women in India (DA-WI) to assess risk from partners. The study also examined the psychometric properties of the DA-L and DA-WI. Longitudinal data from 150 women in India were used to measure the reliability and validity of the two versions of the DA. The original DA items and additional risk items were examined using relative risk ratios for their relationship with severe violence at three-month follow-ups. Predictive validity was tested with the receiver operating characteristic curve. The study resulted in reliable and valid measures (11 items DA-L and 26-items DA-WI) of risk. The versions of the DA can be useful for practitioners in India and those working with Indian women in the US and other countries. The DAs can be used for identifying women in domestic violence relationships who are at risk for future severe domestic violence and guide the provision of tailored safety plans.

Identifying victim types in sexual homicide: A latent class analysis using interactional victimology theories.

Sexual homicide (SH) research has focused on those who commit these crimes and the crimes themselves. This leaves the victim, an equally crucial piece to the puzzle, left as a sort of afterthought, despite the valuable insight that victimology provides to the crime. For the current study, victim information related to their routine activities and lifestyles was taken from an international database containing 662 solved cases of SH. Nine victim variables were used in a latent class analysis to find hidden subgroups within the victim population. Three classes were identified-low-risk, homebody, and overt risk victims-which suggests that SH victimization varies depending on the victim lifestyles and routine activities. These groups were externally validated by examining their association with different phases of the crime commission process. Some sexual homicide offenders may be more drawn to a victim because they present as vulnerable and opportunistic, while others might be methodically targeted. The theoretical relevance of this typology, along with investigative and prevention strategies, is discussed.

Exploring bereavement processes among BLACK adolescent male CO-VICTIMS of homicide.

Black adolescent males are disproportionally impacted by violence exposure and violent loss. The primary aim of this study was to explore the bereavement experiences of Black adolescent males who have lost a friend or family member to murder. Participants were Black adolescent males between the ages of 14-19 years. This was a purposive sample recruited from a community-based study that took place in urban neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Participants who completed their final survey for the parent study were recruited from January to June 2017. Participants completed a brief computerized survey and those who responded affirmatively to a screening question about losing a friend or family member to murder were invited to a qualitative interview. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify key themes. Among the 31 youth interviewed, 30 had lost more than one person to murder. Four primary themes emerged from their narratives: (1) self-preservation through isolation, (2) finding sanctuary through shared narratives of loss, (3) freedom from the mind, and (4) post-traumatic growth (i.e., motivation, healing, resilience). Findings suggest that interventions that provide sanctuary for youth that are culturally relevant and create opportunities for youth to process violent loss may aid in promoting opportunities for youth to grieve and heal from violent loss.

Longitudinal and Reciprocal Effects in the Association Between School Bullying and Homicidal Ideation During Early Adolescence.

Several cross-sectional studies indicated a positive association between school bullying and homicidal ideation during early adolescence. However, few longitudinal studies investigated this association. This study examined whether a bi-directional relationship exists within the longitudinal association between bullying victimization or bullying perpetration and homicidal ideation among early adolescents using a Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model. A total of 1611 early adolescents (39.5% girls; Mage = 12.50 years, SD = 0.50) were recruited from the Chinese Early Adolescents Cohort study. Data on bullying victimization, bullying perpetration, and homicidal ideation collected during three time points (September 2019, September 2020, and September 2021) were used. Bullying victimization showed a significant positive association with homicidal ideation at the between-person level. Bullying victimization and bullying perpetration had a bi-directional relationship with homicidal ideation at the within-person level. Additionally, this study considered the impact of biological sex-based differences and bullying types on adolescents' homicidal ideation. Based on these findings, school bullying might exhibit unique reciprocal associations with homicidal ideation.

Black mothers' ethnic-racial socialization one year after highly publicized anti-Black murders during the pandemic.

Although research on ethnic-racial socialization is well established, limited studies have examined the influence of specific, highly publicized anti-Black murders. We assessed Black mothers' (N = 12, mean age = 37.45) concerns and ethnic-racial socialization with adolescents aged 11-18 years old approximately 1 year following the murders of George Floyd and other unarmed Black people. Researchers generated the following themes using reflexive thematic analysis: protecting adolescents from physical harm; protecting adolescents from psychological harm; parents' emotional distress; and parents' lack of confidence in their ethnic-racial socialization practices. Black mothers exhibit exceptional amounts of strength and courage as they navigate pervasive physical and psychological threats to their adolescents while experiencing worry and low confidence in their ability to socialize their adolescents about anti-Black racism.

How to get away with (sexual) murder? Unraveling cold cases in sexual homicide using a hybrid modeling probabilistic approach.

This study examines Sexual Homicide (SH) cases, analyzing the transition to cold cases through a non-discretionary lens. Utilizing the SH International Database, it explores the interplay between offender behavior, victim characteristics, and crime context. Advanced methodologies, including sequential logistic regression and Artificial Neural Networks, identify key predictors of case resolution. Results highlight the critical influence of victim intoxication, high-risk activities, and the location of the victim's body on case solvability. The study also reveals the significant role of offender forensic awareness and the complexity of crime scenes in hindering case resolution. These findings underline the multifaceted nature of SH cases, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nuanced interplay between victim, offender, and contextual factors in solving these challenging cases.

Trophy, souvenir, or simple theft? Taking items from the victim in sexual homicide.

Although most people have heard the terms 'souvenirs', 'trophies', and 'mementos', discussed in books and movies on the true crimes of sexual murderers, limited research has delved into the phenomenon of theft in sexual homicide (SH). Using a sample of 762 SH cases coming from the Sexual Homicide International Database, the current study examines the crime-commission process of the pre-crime, crime, and post-crime phases of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) who engaged in theft during a SH. Additionally, this study seeks to determine if a specific type of SHO engages in this behaviour over others. Results from the sequential logistic regression indicate that victims who are 16 years or older, were strangers to the SHO, and were sex workers were more likely to be victims of theft. Additionally, results indicate that the presence of sadism made it more likely the SHO would engage in theft from the victim and/or crime scene. Findings suggest there is a group of SHOs who engage in theft not for monetary purposes but due to the paraphilia of the offender. These findings can inform the police investigation of these crimes.

Superhomicide offenders: Nosology, empirical features, and linkages to sexual and multiple murder typologies.

The nosology for criminals who murder multiple victims is at once well-established and controversial, perhaps because theorists have largely segregated such offenders from the broader criminal population. The current study introduces the superhomicide offender, an individual convicted of at least five murders, to locate multiple homicide offenders within the criminological and epidemiological science pertaining to the most pathological offenders, and statistically place them with other conceptualizations of severe offenders at the 95th percentile of the offending distribution. Relative to other capital murderers, superhomicide offenders have lengthier criminal history, greater conviction history, and coextensive psychopathology characterized by psychopathy, sexual sadism, homicidal ideation, cluster A and B personality disorders, and major depressive disorder. Superhomicide offenders are profoundly psychopathic with 20 of the 39 offenders reaching the clinical threshold of 30 or more on the PCL-R, and 19 of the 39 are sexually sadistic. Regarding extant typologies of sexual and multiple homicide offenders, 15 are serial murderers, 17 are sexual homicide offenders, 17 are mass murderers, and 17 are spree murderers. Twenty-four of the 39 superhomicide offenders (61.5%) met criteria for multiple typologies, suggesting the new prototype can help unify the study of those who perpetrate multicide and embed them within criminological and epidemiological models that specify pathological antisocial outcomes.

Community exposure to gun homicide and adolescents' educational aspirations.

INTRODUCTION: Witnessing violence and violent victimization have detrimental effects on adolescents' emotional functioning and ability to envision and plan for their futures. However, research is limited on the impact of violence that occurs in adolescents' communities-whether or not it was witnessed or experienced firsthand. This paper investigated the associations between community exposure to gun homicide and adolescents' high school and college graduation aspirations. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3031), a cohort study of children born 1998-2000 in 20 large US cities, merged with incident-level data on deadly gun violence from the Gun Violence Archive (2014-2017). Outcomes were reported by adolescents (girls and boys) during wave 6 (2014-2017) of the study, conducted when the children were 15 years of age. We employed ordinary least squares regression, ordered logistic regression, and multilevel stratification to examine the average and heterogeneous impacts of community exposure to gun homicide on adolescents' educational aspirations. RESULTS: Community exposure to gun homicide was associated with reduced high school graduation aspirations, particularly among adolescents with the lowest risk of exposure to gun homicide. Gun homicide exposure was also associated with increased college graduation aspirations; this association was concentrated among adolescents with moderate-high risk of exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Given the importance of education for job opportunities and the better health that accompanies education and occupational attainment, preventing early exposure to gun violence and providing institutional supports to help adolescents facing adversity realize their goals is essential to their long-term health and success.

A special type of homicide-suicide: A retrospective study of the characteristics of extended suicide.

Extended suicide, a specific type of homicide-suicide event, has severe social consequences yet remains lacking systematic research. This retrospective study investigated 51 cases of extended suicide involving mental disorders in central China with aim of better understanding risk factors for such events and guiding prevention strategies. Over an 8-year period from 2015 to 2022, cases were collected from forensic institutions, and demographic characteristics, case details, and psychiatric data were recorded. The 51 incidents involved 51 perpetrators and 79 victims, with more female perpetrators (58.8%) and more female victims (54.4%). The average age of the perpetrators was 36.1, and most were married (88.2%). Almost all of the victims were family members of the perpetrator, like the most numerous children (64.6%), followed by spouses (24.1%). The most common homicide mode of death was mechanical asphyxia (38.0%), followed by sharp devices (36.7%) and drug poisoning (16.5%). Depressive disorders (76.5%) were the most common diagnosis of mental disorder for perpetrators. The study analyzed the unique characteristics of extended suicide to enrich such data. These findings help strengthen the screening and identification of potential perpetrators and victims to prevent such cases from occurring.

Leaking in Intimate Partner Homicide: A Systematic Review.

Intimate partner homicides (IPH) are serious offenses by a heterogeneous group of offenders with diverse risk factors that are too unspecific for the successful prediction of an offense. Recent research suggested several warning signs that may precede IPH and enhance its prevention, but little is still known about "leaking." Leaking comprises all offense-related statements, behaviors, or actions that express the perpetrator's thoughts, fantasies, ideas, interests, feelings, intentions, plans, or positive evaluations of an own violent act or previous similar offenses prior to the own attack. This review aims to identify the forms, recipients, and media of leaking as well as potential subgroup differences in cases of IPH. We identified 47 relevant publications via a systematic search of eight databases and additional methods. We included publications that did not explicitly use the term, but described behaviors that could be interpreted as leaking. Up to now, leaking has not been systematically researched in cases of IPH. Nevertheless, publications described several behaviors that are in line with our definition of leaking and were categorized into five broader categories: (a) homicide announcements, (b) previous severe acts of violence, (c) suicidal behavior, (d) planning activities, and (e) interest in similar offenses/offenders. Information on recipients and media as well as subgroup differences was sparse. Leaking is relevant in IPH, but more systematic research is needed to understand its potential role in future risk analyses procedures and prevention of IPH.

Jealousy as a correlate of intimate partner homicide-suicide versus homicide-only cases: National Violent Death Reporting System, 2016-2020.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to compare jealousy as a correlate of intimate partner homicide-suicide cases to homicide-only cases using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), a state-based surveillance system maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jealousy is categorized as jealous feelings or distress over a current or former intimate partner's relationship or suspected relationship with another person. METHODS: NVDRS data from a 5-year period (2016-2020) was used to estimate frequencies and identify significant differences in jealousy and other sociodemographic, mental health, relationship, and incident-related correlates of intimate partner homicide-suicide compared to homicide-only cases. Cases were included if they involved an intimate partner single homicide or a single homicide followed by suicide. RESULTS: The study sample included 5335 cases (intimate partner homicide-suicide n = 1402; homicide-only n = 3933). A significantly higher percentage of intimate partner homicide-suicide cases reported jealousy preceding the event (9%) compared to homicide-only cases (6%). Compared with homicide-only cases, homicide-suicide cases had 3.5 greater odds of recording jealousy as a precipitating event. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that intimate partner homicide-suicide cases are distinct from homicide-only cases both in terms of individual- and incident-level and situational factors, including the presence of jealousy.

Sexual homicide offenders as repeat and nonrepeat offenders: An empirical study of sexual homicide cases in Mainland China.

The comparative examination of different groups of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) is currently limited. To expand our understanding of Chinese sexual homicides, this study aimed to distinguish between the modus operandi (MO) characteristics of repeat (i.e., with previous arrest and/or conviction) and nonrepeat (i.e., without previous arrest and/or conviction) offenders. Data were gathered from police arrest records, court documents, and published case reports in mainland China, covering a 31-year period (1988-2018). A sample of 86 male SHOs (31 repeat and 55 nonrepeat offenders) was identified and the offenders' MO characteristics were examined. Compared with nonrepeat offenders, repeat offenders were significantly more likely to commit sexual murder in outdoor locations, approach their victims initially using a non-surprise approach, engage in nonvaginal penetration of their victims, use a personal weapon to kill their victims, and move their victims' bodies away from the crime scene. However, repeat offenders were less likely to be arrested immediately after committing the murder. The findings have practical implications for police investigative strategies, such as suspect prioritization.

Fatal Police Shootings of Victims with Mental Health Crises: A Descriptive Analysis of Data from the 2014-2015 National Violent Death Reporting System.

One in five fatal police shooting victims may have been experiencing a mental health crisis (MHC) at the time of their death [1]. We use data on fatal police shootings from the National Violent Death Reporting System (2014-2015) to (a) identify incidents where the victim is reported to have experienced an MHC at the time of their death, (b) describe the characteristics of these incidents, and (c) compare the characteristics of MHC to fatal police shootings where the victim was not experiencing an MHC at the time of their death. We systematically coded 633 fatal police shootings from 27 states. Descriptive statistics characterized fatal police shootings, including victim characteristics; their mental health status; and contextual information regarding the police encounter (e.g., reason for police call). Overall, 203 of 633 fatal police encounters (32%) involved victims who showed signs of an MHC at the time of their death. Victims were predominantly white, male, and in possession of a firearm. In 3 of 4 cases, the MHC manifested as suicidal ideation despite any relevant documented history among most victims. Among half of suicidal victims, suicidal ideation was expressed verbally and in-person to a family member/intimate partner who subsequently called the police. Dispatch was aware of the MHC in 1 of 4 of total police calls. Overall, fatal police encounters involving those experiencing an MHC accounted for 1 in 3 of our caseloads. Approximately, 3 of 4 mental health calls involved a suicidal person who mainly expressed intent to a loved one in-person.

Homicide perpetrators with psychotic illness found not criminally responsible in Turkiye and Russia: An international comparison.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to conduct a comparative analysis of homicide cases and their perpetrators with psychotic illnesses in samples from Turkiye and Russia to elucidate contextual similarities and differences, and providing novel perspectives to enhance international research in this field. METHOD: This cross-national retrospective study, conducted at forensic psychiatric centers in Istanbul, Turkiye, and Chuvashia, Russia, involved individuals with psychotic illnesses (ICD-10 F20-F29) who were deemed criminally non-responsible for index homicide offenses between December 2012 and December 2022. The sample included 92 Turkish patients and 29 Russian patients who were compared for background, clinical characteristics, and each homicidal act. RESULTS: Binary analyses revealed that Russian subjects were more educated, had more lifetime suicide attempts, longer illness duration, had acquaintances as victims more frequently, higher rates of blunt traumatic homicides, higher rates of intoxication with alcohol or substances, and lower rates of experiencing delusions at the time of the index homicide compared to their Turkish counterparts. Multivariate analyses indicated that more years of education, a greater frequency of lifetime suicide attempts, higher prevalence of intoxication and a lower rate of delusions at the time of the homicide were associated with belonging to the Russian group. CONCLUSION: Despite several similarities, the remarkable differences between the two samples underscore the importance of international research in enhancing our understanding of mental health, homicidal offense and offender characteristics in the sociocultural context.