Ch. 9 Homicide, Assault, Family Violence

Question 1

Homicide

Answer 1

HOMICIDE – the killing of a human by another human (general term)

• Does not imply criminality unto itself.

CRIMINAL HOMICIDE – implies criminality – killing another person without any legal justification or excuse.

• 1st Degree Murder – committed with premeditation (thought about it beforehand) and deliberation (acted with a cool head).
• 2nd Degree Murder – Killing WITH malice, but WITHOUT PREMEDITATION or DELIBERATION.
  
  • If you did something to someone and it resulted in their death – even if that is not what you intended, then that could be considered 2nd degree murder.
  • Same idea when a homicide occurs in the committing of another crime.
• Voluntary Manslaughter – means that there was NO MALICE beforehand, but it IS an INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE – HOWEVER, it is committed under some type of mitigating circumstance.
  
  • The MOST COMMON MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCE is the ‘HEAT of PASSION’ killing.
  • It is NO DEFENSE to say “THAT PERSON PROVOKED ME”.
• Involuntary Manslaughter – UNINTENTIONAL HOMICIDE that results from some criminally negligent or reckless conduct.
  
  • i.e. You never intended to kill the person.

There is NO UNIVERSAL PROFILE, set of risk factors, or personality for a ‘typical’ murderer.

FACTORS the LEAD to HOMICIDE include:

• Situation specific – situation that presents the setting for violence
• Weapon availability
• Alcohol
• Provocation
• Circumstances & motivation
• Offender emotional state

Question 2

Homicide (Demographics and Circumstances)

Answer 2

VAST MAJORITY of Individuals who COMMIT HOMICIDES are

• 90% of all Murderers are MALE.
• 77% of the VICTIMS are also MALE.
• Average Age 20 - 29 account for 50% of all HOMICIDES
  
  • Looks strangely similar to the lack of brain development through mid-20s.
• MAJORITY of HOMICIDES are committed in process interpersonal arguments, family violence, or felonies
• Weapons: Guns (67% of homicides), knives
• Weapons effect – presence of symbols of weapons increase likelyhood of aggression especially for those who are already agitated.
  
  • Guns do NOT cause violent crimes, but the AVAILABILITY of GUNS can FACILITATE violent crimes.

Question 3

Stalking

Answer 3

STALKING is the willful, malicious & repeated following & harassing of another person.

• Legal definiition includes terms like “Lying in wait”, “Surveillence”, “Non-consensual communication”, electronic communication and even vandelism.
• Motivation for Stalking is usually control, intention to intimidate or frighten their victims.
• Can be violent or have potential to cause great harm.
• Cause great psychological harm regardless of whether or not physical violence occurs

There are Four Categories of Stalking

1. Simple obsession – 60% of all instances – extension of previous patterns of domestic violence, an issue of control (Ex: Trying to ‘control’ a failing relationship.) If I can’t have you, nobody will.
2. Love obsession – involves casual acquaintences or strangers, involves low self-esteem following victims that the stalker thinks can somehow RAISE their self-esteem.
3. Erotomania – rare – delusional thinking is usually involved where the stalker might have other psychological disorders. They often target public figures or celebrities to gain status
4. Vengeance – Not seeking some sort of personal relationship but ARE seeking a specific type of response from their victim, perhaps in response to a perceived injustice to make the victim pay.

• Cyberstalking – use of computers, provides anonymity.

Question 4

Six Motives of Arsonists

Answer 4

ARSON – willful and malicious setting of a fire.

• Mostly young males (41% Juveniles)
• Often go unresolved

SIX MOTIVES of ARSONISTS

1. Revenge, spite or jealousy
2. Vandalism or malicious mischief
3. Crime concealment
4. Profit or insurance fraud
5. Intimidation, extortion, terrorism, sabotage
6. Pyromania or other psychological motives:

• Pyromania – Essential Feature of a Pyromaniac: The commit MULTIPLE episodes of PURPOSEFUL and DELIBERATE fire setting.
  
  • Only 3% of Arsonists have this abnormal fascination with starting fires.
  • They set fires to relieve tention or to gain gratification from relief of that tension.
  • Rare and mostly Male
  • Little evidence of sexual arousal (that’s a myth)
  • Associated with mental or emotional tension and arousal
  • Universally, children between the ages of 5-7 are fascinated with fire and they experiment with it and
    
    • A small percent continues on to fire setting. These few often suffer from poor family relationships and are ofen the victims of abuse.
• Underlying psychological disorders:
  
  • for them, setting fires is a cry for help
  • anger

Question 5

Arson and Development

Answer 5

Childhood Phases of Fire Interest:

FIRE INTEREST – 5-7 years old – Universally, children this age experience a NORMAL FASCINATION with fire.

FIRE PLAY – 5-9 years old and they experiment with it

FIRE SETTING – 10+ years old – a small percent continues setting fires. Continuing from here indicates possible problems with fire-setting throughout life.

• These few often suffer from poor family relationships and are ofen victims of abuse.

Phase

Description

Fire interest

Ages 5-7

Normal fascination

Fire play

Ages 5-9

Experimentation

Firesetting

After age 10, continue to use fire to destroy, communicate

Significant problems throughout life

Question 6

Bombings

Answer 6

BOMBING and EXPLOSIVES incidents:

• Mischief or vandalism is the most frequent motive
• Research limited
• Requires skill
• Compulsive bombers
  
  • often has a history of childhood fascination w/ bombs
  • 1978 - 1992 pipe bombs “Unibomber” Ted Kysiznsky
  • 1995 Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols “Oklahoma City Bombers” killed 168.
    
    • Hatred of government was their motivation
  • 2013 Sarnyoff Brothers – Chechnyan – built pipe bombs that exploded during the Boston Marathon.
    
    • Motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs
  • Problem was the fact that all these individuals were EXTREMISTS, which can be dangerous in any type.