Domestic Homicide:: Neuropsychological Profiles of Murderers Who Kill Family Members and Intimate Partners

Robert E. Hanlon ^[1] ; Michael Brook ^[1] ; Jason A. Demery ^[2] ; Mark D. Cunningham ^[3]
1. [1] Northwestern University
  
  Northwestern University
  
  Township of Evanston, Estados Unidos
2. [2] Gainesville V.A. Medical Center Gainesville FL
3. [3] Private Practice Austin TX
Mostrar afiliaciones +
Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 61, Nº. Extra 1, 2016, págs. 163-170
Idioma: inglés
Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)

Resumen
- Domestic homicide is the most extreme form of domestic violence and one of the most common types of homicide. The objective was to examine differences between spontaneous domestic homicide and nondomestic homicide offenders regarding demographics, psychi- atric history, crime characteristics, and neuropsychological status, utilizing europsychological test data from forensic examinations of 153 murderers. Using standard crime classification criteria, 33% committed spontaneous domestic homicides (SDH) and 61% committed nondomestic homicides (NDH). SDH offenders were more likely to manifest psychotic disorders, but less likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder or to have prior felony convictions. SDH offenders manifested significantly worse neuropsychological impairments than NDH offenders. The mean number of victims was lower for the SDH than the NDH group and only 14% of SDH offenders used a firearm, whereas 59% of NDH offenders used a firearm. These findings corroborate the notion that spontaneous domestic homicide may represent a discernible criminological phenotype.