Familicide: A Systematic Literature Review

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.

Familicide in Canada, 2010 to 2019

Familicide is rare; however, the high victim counts in each incident and context surrounding these killings underscore the need for further research. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding familicide in Canada. Using univariate statistics, this study analyzed 26 incidents of familicide that occurred in Canada between 2010 and 2019. The results show that familicide is a gendered crime involving primarily male accused who often target female victims, have a history of domestic violence, and commit the killings using firearms. This research highlights the importance of developing risk assessment, risk management, and safety planning strategies to address warning signs and prevent future familicides.

A Retrospective Analysis of Familicide in Latium (Italy): A Criminological Profile of the Victims and Offenders Involved in 29 Cases and a Comparison with the Literature

Familicide, an extreme form of domestic violence where one family member kills another, is a complex criminological issue. We analyzed autopsy files from the Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata (1995-2022), to understand familicide better. The study focused on victim profiles, offender characteristics, and case dynamics. From 29 analyzed cases, 31 victims emerged, with 2 instances of double homicide. The perpetrators were mostly male (79.31%) and the victims were primarily female (54.84%). The familial ties ranged from parent-child to siblings and spouses. A significant number of crimes happened at private residences (70.97%) using bladed weapons (48.39%), with the injuries being concentrated on the head and chest. Half of the cases showed struggle signs, and 24.14% of the perpetrators had identifiable psychiatric disorders, which often served as the motive. Post-crime actions included self-reporting, suicide attempts, and successful suicides. A comparison with literature confirmed the typical familicide offender as a middle-aged male with potential social stressors and a history of domestic violence, with the victims often being female family members. Mental health conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia significantly impacted these events. These findings underline the need for customized approaches to comprehending and preventing familicide.

Domestic/Family Homicide: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence

BACKGROUND

Domestic/family homicide (D/FH) is a global social, economic and public health problem. To date, the research studies into risk factors associated with D/FH has largely focused on intimate partner homicide (IPH). A more contemporary approach recognizes that D/FH extends beyond the intimate partner relationship. This systematic review sought to identify and quantify the individual, relationship, community and societal factors in the empirical evidence literature on D/FH.

METHODS

Eight electronic databases were searched from January 1999 to December 2020. Published journal articles on studies of D/FH were included if the study included victims and/or perpetrator of D/FH, reported risk and/or protective factors associated with D/FH, reported primary data and was published in English. Factors were descriptively synthesized by the categories of the social ecological model and D/FH sub-type.

RESULTS

Three hundred and forty published articles met the inclusion criteria. From 1999 to 2020 the number of articles on D/FH increased globally from 10 to 40 respectively, declining to 23 in 2020. Almost half of the articles examined populations located in the Americas (160, 47.1%), predominately the United States and the majority of articles used quantitative designs (277, 81.5%). The forms of homicide more commonly studied were intimate partner (171, 50.3%), and filicide (98, 28.8%). Approximately 90% of articles reported individual victim and perpetrator factors, 64.7% examined relationship factors, 17.9% examined community factors and 15.6% examined societal factors.

CONCLUSION

To inform universal and targeted D/FH elimination and prevention strategies, more research across different regions and a greater emphasis on community and societal-level factors is needed.

Domestic Homicide: A Synthesis of Systematic Review Evidence

Domestic homicide (DH) is the most extreme form of domestic violence (DV). There has been a growing worldwide interest in DH offenses and the characteristics of perpetrators and victims, and it is evidenced in part by the increase in the number of primary research studies in this area. The findings of a large number of the available primary literature have already been summarized into several systematic reviews. The principal purposes of this study were to identify what types and aspects of DH have been reviewed systematically (research trends), to synthesize findings from recent systematic reviews of the theoretical and empirical literature on the different types of DH (main findings), and to consider what existing reviews can tell us about the implications for policy and practice as well as future primary research (implications). The current study utilized a systematic review approach to locate systematic reviews of studies on DH. The final sample included 25 systematic review articles published from 2010 to 2020, including 12 on intimate partner homicide, eight on child homicide, and five on familicide. The main research questions varied across systematic reviews, but they included risk factors, statistics on incidence and prevalence, theories, risk assessment tools, punishment and disposition, and prevention strategies. Building on the synthesis findings, the current study concludes with suggestions for future systematic review research and implications for practice and policy efforts.

Intra-familiar homicides: From 2006 to 2021 in the judicial district of Milan

INTRODUCTION

The present research aims at analyzing criminological and medico-legal characteristics of intra-familiar homicides occurred in two major Italian cities (Milano and Monza) from the beginning of 2006 to the end of 2021.

METHODS

Cases were identified using the Institutional database of the Institute of Legal Medicine of Milan, where all the autopsies of victims were performed. Data about these cases were obtained from autopsies findings, preliminary investigation reports, local papers and victim relatives' interviews. In this period 11,480 autopsies were performed: 392 were homicides and, among these, 94 were confirmed as intra-familiar homicides (as a result of 84 events). Cases were classified according to the classic definition of intimate partner violence (referring only to an intra-familiar context), parricides, filicides, fratricides, familicides and grannicides. Age, sex, nationality and risk factors of the victims and perpetrators, as well as methods of murder were registered for each case. Only in some cases, motives for murder were known.

RESULTS

The most frequent type of intra-familiar homicides was intimate partner violence (41.5%), followed by parricides (16%, mainly matricides), filicides (10.7%) and fratricides (6.4%). 9.6% of the total number of events were familicides. Risk factors were frequently involved, in particular among perpetrators and in the group of parricides, while among siblicides they showed minimal relevance. Overall, psychiatric pathologies were the main risk factors involved (at least 23.8%), unlike extrafamiliar homicides, where previous criminal report or involvement in illicit traffics are frequently reported among perpetrators. This finding enlightens the difficulties of caring for a relative with a mental disorder, who can become dangerous for the domestic caregiver. Furthermore, the high number of physical illness and the advanced age of victims points out the tragical consequences of the lack of social support system for these categories of people.

METHODS

of murder were mainly cold steel (30-31.9%) and firearms (21-22.3%). However choking/manual ligature (9-9.6%), blunt force trauma inflicted using objects found on the scenario or bare handed (16-17%) and combined methods (11-11.7%) were frequently represented confirming the expected high level of impulsivity related to this kind of crime.

Child Homicide Amounting to Murder in Malaysia: Descriptive Analysis of the Statistics and Causes

Objective

To describe the child homicide rates and examine the circumstances of homicides of children in Malaysia from January 2010 to June 2021.

Methods

This is a retrospective secondary analysis of police records on child homicides in Malaysia. Background demographic characteristics of victims, suspected offenders, motives of homicide, and rates of child homicide in Malaysia were analyzed descriptively.

Results

Three hundred thirty-two child homicide cases involving 349 children aged 18 years old and below by 458 suspected offenders were described. The Malaysian rates of child homicide from 2010 to 2018 fluctuated between 0.28 and 0.37 per 100,000 population of children aged 18 and below. The rates show decreasing trend to 0.19 and 0.17 per 100,000 population of children aged 18 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Most of the victims were Malay and Indians, boys, aged 0–5 years old and 16–18 years old. Offenders were likely to be someone known to the victims, including parents, stepparents, and friends, and have unstable incomes. The main possible motives of homicide are jealousy and revenge, child abuse, and feeling distress.

Conclusion

The rates of child homicide in Malaysia are lower compared to other countries and show decreasing trend during this COVID-19 pandemic. These findings perhaps are underestimated and should be cautiously interpreted. Nevertheless, the results should inform immediate intervention to target the at-risk groups.

Characteristics, incidence, and trends of intimate partner homicides in Massachusetts: Patterns by birthplace, race, and ethnicity

This study compared the incidence rates of intimate partner homicide (IPH) in Massachusetts by place of birth and race/ethnicity. The analysis involved 340 IPH victim cases between 1994 and 2014. Victims were just under 40 years of age, on average, and most were female (85%), White (67%), and killed by stabbing (34.4%) or firearms (33%). The incidence of IPH victims ranged from 1.3 to 5.6 cases per million people per year between 1994 and 2014 (M = 2.4 per million). Foreign-born individuals had 1.9-fold higher IPH incidence rates of victims relative to U.S.-born individuals. The incidence of IPH-suicide victims was also significantly higher among foreign-born (M = 1.2 per million) relative to U.S.-born individuals (M = 0.4 per million). Furthermore, minority racial/ethnic groups had significantly high incidence rates of victims, with highest incidence of IPH among Blacks. In the full sample there was a 1.9% decline in the incidence of IPH victims per year, which was not statistically significant. The findings highlight the need for culturally specific prevention and intervention strategies to address risks of IPHs and IPH-suicides among diverse groups, particularly among groups most at-risk in Massachusetts such as foreign-born born individuals and racial and ethnic minorities.

Violent behavior by involuntarily committed female offenders with mental disorders: A population-based case series

The goal of the current study was to investigate the socio-demographic, psychiatric, and criminological characteristics of female violent offenders with mental disorders involuntarily committed to a forensic psychiatric hospital. The present study was a population-based retrospective case series including all female offenders with mental disorders found not guilty by reason of insanity by the criminal courts in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and involuntarily committed to a forensic psychiatric facility (n = 27). Patients were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. We found that most offenders were Afro-Brazilian, uneducated unmarried women. Schizophrenia with active psychotic symptoms was the most common clinical condition. Relatives were the frequent victims of aggressive behavior. Most patients had already been diagnosed with a mental disorder and placed under psychiatric treatment, but poor adherence and treatment dropout were common. Violent behavior in psychiatrically ill female patients is associated with a specific socio-demographic and clinical profile and is thus potentially amenable to prevention particularly if the mental health and social services are to provide the much-needed support for economically, socially, and psychologically vulnerable women.

Is familicide a distinct subtype of mass murder? Evidence from a Swiss national cohort

BACKGROUND

Familicide is defined as the killing of a whole family and, numerically, a form of "mass murder" (more-or-less three simultaneous killings). Switzerland has a lower rate of homicide than most other countries but a comparatively high share of homicides within the family.

AIM

The aim of this study is to describe a complete national sample of familicides and compare them with other types of mass murders in the country over the same period.

METHODS

All cases of three or more unlawful homicides in one event in Switzerland between 1972 and 2015 were identified from court records and socio-demographic, criminological, and psychological variables were extracted. Given small numbers, we rely on narrative comparisons.

RESULTS

There were 20 familicides in the 43-year study, with 82 victims between them as well as six felony-associated mass murders accounting for 19 victims and nine public mass murders with 44 victims. Only one familicide was a woman; mean age was 39.5 years (range 19-57 years). Most were in employment. Only four had a prior psychiatric history. Nine had a history of violent or intrusive behaviour, but a prior criminal conviction was rare. In all but one case there was evidence of psychosocial stressors; eight men were facing separation from a spouse. Just over half used guns, but only three used army weapons. The main difference between the familicides and the other mass killers was the much higher rate of suicide among the familicides.

CONCLUSIONS

Familicides in Switzerland appear to be rare suicidal acts, generally carried out by previously successful and apparently stable middle-aged men with often an inconspicuous psychiatric history or criminal record, differing considerably from other groups of mass killers. Expert responses, like the recently established multidisciplinary "threat management boards" in Switzerland, should bear in mind that the likely competent men involved may be good at covering their intent even from themselves.