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Victim | Offender Relationship

Race, Sex, and Criminal Homicide Offender-Victim Relationships

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Abstract

Recent research has expanded our understanding of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs). However, little exists beyond case reports for older SHOs. We characterized male SHOs ≥ 55 years, comparing them to typical adult male SHOs who are in their twenties. Analysis of 37 years (1976–2012) of U.S. Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) data provided a large SHO sample (N = 3, 453). Three case reports provide clinical context for the diverse nature and patterns of older SHOs. Only 32 older male SHOs and no older female SHOs were identified. Murders by older SHOs accounted for only 0.5% of U.S. sexual homicides. Unlike typical SHOs that generally target young adult females, over two thirds of older SHO victims were ≥ 40 years, and one-third were ≥ 55 years. Sexual homicides by older SHOs, like sexual homicide in general, decreased over the study period. These crimes, while exceedingly rare, do occur, warranting special consideration.

See Also: Sexual Homicide by Older Male Offenders

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Homicide Victim/Offender Relationship in Florida Medical Examiner District 8

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ABSTRACT:

This study examined the correlations between victim/offender relationship and three variables: motive, weapon choice, and number of injuries inflicted. Empirical relationship and motive categories were used. The sample consisted of 57 intentional homicide cases from Florida Medical Examiner District 8 between the years 1992 and 1996. Relationships were divided into primary and secondary categories. Primary relationships included intimates, relatives, and friends; secondary relationships included acquaintances and strangers. Motives were classified as romantic dispute, argument/conflict, revenge, or felony type; weapons as firearm or contact; and number of injuries inflicted as single or multiple. A significant correlation was found between victim/offender relationship and homicide motive; however, the revenge and felony type motive categories did not differ. Unexpectedly, no correlation was found between victim/offender relationship and either weapon choice or number of injuries inflicted. Further In 1958, Wolfgang published his seminal work, Patterns in Criminal Homicide, in which he analyzed police records for 588 cases of criminal homicide in Philadelphia between 1948 and 1952 (1)...

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Facing Rejection: New Relationships, Broken Relationships, Shame, And Stalking.

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Abstract

This study provides a preliminary examination of the relationship among shame-proneness, emotions, and persistent, unwanted courting or pursuit behaviour. A total of 222 undergraduates completed a questionnaire measuring responses to the termination of a relationship or the declining of a date. The Test of Self-Conscious Affect was used to measure shame. Although shame was unrelated to types of intrusive behaviour, individuals who engaged more repetitively in covert pursuit tended to ruminate more over their love interest than did those who rarely engaged in such behaviour. Rumination was positively correlated with shame. Self-harm behaviours and harm toward others were associated with feelings of sadness and depression, and those who engaged more often in harm toward others also reported feelings of anger and jealousy. Conclusions are made regarding the function of shame and other emotions in intrusive behaviour and their potential relevance to treatment of stalkers....

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Column One : Murder Or Natural Causes? : Four Years After Crystal Spencer’s Death, Her Case Remains A Mystery. Following The Trail Leads To Rumors, Theories And Mishandled Evidence.

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The death of Crystal Spencer has evolved into a bizarre mystery--a tangled web of rumors and botched evidence, lawsuits and personal obsession.

Nearly four years ago, the 29-year-old topless dancer was found dead in her disheveled Burbank apartment. She was half-nude, her body decomposed beyond recognition. Her telephone was off the hook.

Whether she was murdered, or merely died of a sudden illness, is a lingering question. Authorities labeled the cause of death "undetermined," leaving angry, tormented loved ones to cling to theories: Spencer was killed by the Japanese mafia. Spencer was an FBI informant murdered by strip-club hoodlums. Spencer was strangled by a ruthless suitor.

The case has taken on a "Twilight Zone" quality, as if fate intended some sleight of hand. On the night of her death, the couple downstairs heard what they later described as muffled shrieks and screams, the apparent cries of someone "being tortured." But they never called police...

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