SEXUAL HOMICIDE - SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND LEGAL ASPECTS

• NCJ Number: 47971
• Journal: Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume: 5 Issue: 5 Dated: (1976) Pages: 391-401
• Author(s): V L SWIGERT; R A FARRELL; W C YOELS
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Plenum Publishing Corp
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF SEX RESEARCH, HELD AT STONY BROOK, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 1975

Annotation

FIVE CASES OF SEXUALLY RELATED HOMICIDES ARE ANALYZED, WITH REFERENCE TO THE OFFENDERS' SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILES, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENSES, AND CASE DISPOSITIONS.

Abstract

THE CASES WERE DRAWN FROM A 50-PERCENT SAMPLE (444 CASES) OF ALL HOMICIDES REVIEWED FROM 1955 THROUGH 1973 BY A DIAGNOSTIC AND EVALUATION CLINIC SERVING THE COURTS OF A LARGE NORTHEASTERN CITY. THE CASES INCLUDE TWO INSTANCES OF CONSENSUAL SEX BETWEEN DEFENDANT AND VICTIM (ONE HOMOSEXUAL AND ONE HETEROSEXUAL), TWO CASES OF SEXUAL SADISM (ONE HOMOSEXUAL AND ONE HETEROSEXUAL), AND ONE CASE OF HOMOSEXUAL PEDOPHILIA. ANALYSIS OF THE FIVE CASES REVEALS THE FOLLOWING: WHITES AND MALES PREDOMINATE BOTH AS OFFENDERS AND AS VICTIMS; MOST OFFENDERS HAD NOT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL AND WORKED IN UNSKILLED OCCUPATIONS; MOST OFFENDERS HAD PRIOR CRIMINAL CONTACT WITH THE LAW; IN FOUR OF THE CASES THE DEFENDANT AND VICTIM WERE MARGINALLY KNOWN OR UNKNOWN TO ONE ANOTHER; THE MOST FREQUENT HOMICIDE SITE WAS THE RESIDENCE OF THE VICTIM; AND STRANGULATION AND KNIFINGS WERE THE METHODS USED TO CAUSE DEATH. ALL OFFENDERS CAME FROM BROKEN HOMES AND HAD BACKGROUNDS OF TRUANCY AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. SOME PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER WAS DIAGNOSED IN THREE OF THE DEFENDANTS, BUT NONE WAS DIAGNOSED AS INSANE. ALL BUT ONE OF THE OFFENDERS WERE OF AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE. NONE OF THE OFFENDERS WAS GRANTED BAIL, ONLY TWO WERE ABLE TO RETAIN A PRIVATE ATTORNEY, AND FOUR WAIVED THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. THREE WERE CONVICTED OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, TWO OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE SMALL NUMBER OF SEXUAL HOMICIDES IN THE 19-YEAR SAMPLE AND TO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEXUAL HOMICIDES AND OTHER HOMICIDES (E.G., THE FACT THAT, UNLIKE MOST HOMICIDES, SEXUAL HOMICIDES WERE MORE LIKELY TO INVOLVE STRANGERS OR CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES THAN FRIENDS OR RELATIVES). A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. NO TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED.