DOCSLIB.ORG

Homicide-Suicide: Common Factors in South- African Police Service Members Who Kill Their Spouse Or Consort and Themselves

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Homicide-Suicide: Common Factors in South- African Police Service Members Who Kill Their Spouse Or Consort and Themselves HOMICIDE-SUICIDE: COMMON FACTORS IN SOUTH- AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO KILL THEIR SPOUSE OR CONSORT AND THEMSELVES by COENRAAD WILLEM VAN DEN HEEVER submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the subject PSYCHOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF H C JANEKE October 2017 i Student number: 3256-420-1 I, Coenraad Willem van den Heever declare that HOMICIDE-SUICIDE: COMMON FACTORS IN SOUTH- AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO KILL THEIR SPOUSE OR CONSORT AND THEMSELVES. is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. _____________ ____________ C.W. van den Heever DATE (Mr.) ii Acknowledgements I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the following people for making this thesis possible: The Lord Almighty, my Creator, for this opportunity and His grace throughout my life. My loving wife Mia, for her love, support, and belief in me. My three children, Carmia, Ian, and Anrich for giving meaning to my life. My parents, Raymond, and Hester, for providing me with the necessary life skills to achieve my goals and ambitions. My promoter, Professor Chris Janeke, for his expert guidance and patience throughout this study. Retha Watson, for her friendship and continuous support. Major- General M.C. Mzamane from the South- African Police Service, for granting me permission to conduct research on police homicide- suicide killings. The brave survivors of a homicide- suicide attack who shared their experiences with me. Lastly, UNISA, for the bursary and the opportunity to further my academic qualifications. iii Summary Homicide-Suicide (H-S) is a rare but violent event in which an individual commits homicide and thereafter commits suicide. The H-S phenomenon appears to be increasing among members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Although research on H-S is sparse, several SA studies have implicated the SAPS as a high risk occupational group for such killings. However, no systematic research that focuses on police H-S has ever been conducted within the RSA. The aim of this thesis is to determine the underlying causes of police H-S killings. The current national study included thirty-eight (38) police H-S cases over a two-year period (2012-2013). The macro, meso, and micro levels of analysis were utilised to study this phenomenon and to test both the socio-cultural and intrapsychic explanations of H-S. A mixed method approach was utilised, which involved both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Information on H-S was collected via document analysis and interviews with survivors of an H-S attack. The data obtained from the documents were coded on the SAPS “Homicide-Suicide Incidence Coding Form” and the results of this analysis were presented graphically in both tables and charts. Three interviews were conducted with the survivors of these attacks and were qualitatively analysed. The SAPS displayed an H-S incidence rate of 24.27 per 100 000 police officers. A typical police H-S perpetrator is likely to be a black African male who is 35 years old with a Grade 12 education. He would hold the rank of a constable and would have a history of domestic abuse. His victim would usually be an intimate partner of the same race who would be younger than him. She would be employed as an administrative clerk and would be shot and killed multiple times by her amorous jealous boyfriend due to a heated argument or quarrel. The service pistol would be used to commit both H-S killings. Four main themes emerged from the transcripts, namely: Patriarchal dynamics in H-S relationships, Financial issues and the patriarchal order, The death wish (“Thanatos”) of the perpetrator and the H-S survivors as double victims. On the macro level, partial support was found for social iv integration theory, while the meso and micro levels of analysis supported the psychodynamic perspective. Key terms: homicide-suicide, murder-suicide, femicide-suicide, South-African Police Service (SAPS), patriarchy, masculinity, amorous jealousy, domestic violence, Hanzlick-Koponen typology, survivor. v Table of Content Acknowledgements iii Summary iv List of Tables xii List of Figures xiv Chapter 1 Introduction 1 The Challenges of a Police Career 3 Suicidal Behaviour 4 Homicide-suicide (H-S): An extended suicide. 5 Studying H-S on Three Different Levels 7 Macro level analysis. 7 Meso level analysis. 8 Micro level analysis. 8 Firearm Regulation and H-S 9 Summary 10 Preview of Subsequent Chapters 11 Chapter 2 Theoretical Background 14 Introduction 14 Definition of Terms 14 2.2.1 Homicide-suicide (H-S). 14 Epidemiological laws of H-S. 15 Classification typologies of H-S. 17 Specific types of H-S. 21 Major depressive disorder and H-S. 31 History and Suicide 34 Ancient Greece and suicide. 34 Ancient Rome and suicide. 35 Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and suicide. 36 Nineteenth century and suicide. 39 vi Contemporary view of suicide. 40 Theories of Suicide 44 Socio cultural explanations. 44 Intrapsychic explanations. 49 Biochemical explanations. 53 Tracking of H-S Events Within the SAPS 56 Suicide Prevention Within the SAPS 57 Summary 58 Chapter 3: Literature Survey 60 Introduction 60 H-S Incidence Rates 60 Common Factors in H-S 64 Mental illness. 64 Relationships. 66 Domestic violence. 69 Substance use and intoxication. 71 Weapon used. 73 Financial adversity. 74 H-S Profiles 75 Problem Formulation, Research Aims, and Questions 77 Summary 80 Chapter 4 Methodology 82 Introduction 82 Research Design 82 Sample Group 85 Situating the three respondents. 86 Measuring Instruments 87 The SAPS Suicide Follow-up Questionnaire. 87 SAPS H-S Incidence Coding Form. 88 Interview schedule. 91 vii Procedure 94 Techniques of Analysis 96 Quantitative analysis. 96 Qualitative analysis. 97 Ethical Considerations 99 Institutional approval. 99 Informed consent. 99 Debriefing and counselling of participants. 100 Protecting identities. 101 Summary 101 Chapter 5 Discussion of Results 103 Introduction 103 RA 1: To Explore the Demographic, Social, and Cultural Factors Associated with H-S in the SAPS, and Based on this, Establish an Incidence Rate for H-S in this Particular Occupational Sector for the 2012-2013 Research Period 103 The characteristics of the perpetrators, victims, and survivors of a police H-S attack. 103 The manner of death. 105 Year of death. 106 Provinces in which H-S killings were perpetrated. 106 The H-S incidence rate for the SAPS. 109 RA 2: To Determine Some of the Contextual Factors Associated with the Occurrence of H-S in the SAPS, and Investigate Social, Environmental Factors, and Interpersonal Relationships between the Victims and Perpetrators of H-S Killings 110 Gender of the individuals involved in a police H-S attack. 110 Age of the subjects involved. 111 Racial distribution. 114 Types of H-S killings. 115 Relationship between the perpetrators, the victims, and the survivors. 116 Living characteristics between the parties involved in H-S attacks. 120 viii Antecedent history related to the perpetrator. 121 Perpetrators level of education. 122 Ranking structure of the perpetrators. 124 Occupation of victims. 125 Occupation of survivors. 126 Method of death. 127 Number of wounds. 127 Location proximity and body location. 129 Presence of suicide notes and authorship. 130 Toxicological findings and intoxication before the act. 131 Motive for the act. 133 H-S profiles of a typical perpetrator and victim of such attacks. 134 RA 3: Further Explore the Personal Dynamics between a Perpetrator and a Victim in H-S and to Establish the Possible Role that Patriarchy Plays in Such a Relationship.135 Patriarchal dynamics in H-S relationships. 135 Financial issues and the patriarchal order. 140 The death wish (“Thanatos”) of the perpetrator. 142 H-S survivors as double victims. 143 Summary 148 Chapter 6 Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations 150 Introduction 150 The Situational Factors in Police H-S Killings 150 Year of death. 150 Province of death. 151 H-S incidence rates. 151 Gender. 153 Age of the parties involved in an H-S attack. 155 Racial groups in H-S killings. 156 Types of H-S killing within the SAPS. 159 The relationship between the perpetrators, victims and the survivors. 160 ix The Living arrangements between the perpetrators, victims and survivors. 162 Information obtained on the perpetrator. 163 Socio- economic status of the victims and survivors. 169 Method of death- The prevalence of firearms. 170 Number of wounds. 172 Body location and proximity. 174 Suicide notes. 175 Toxicological findings (blood alcohol levels). 176 Motive for the final act. 178 The Role of Patriarchy in Police H-S Killings 180 The link between amorous jealousy and real or perceived infidelity. 181 Domestic violence and H-S. 182 The termination of an abusive relationship. 185 The perpetrators “Thanatos”. 186 The impact of ‘attempted’ homicide on the survivors. 187 Demographic Profiles in H-S Killings 189 Studying the H-S Phenomenon on Three Different Levels 192 Macro level of analysis. 192 Meso and micro levels of analysis. 193 Recommendations for Preventative Strategies 195 Training of the EHW professionals within the SAPS. 195 Sensitising employees as well as future police officers about H-S. 196 Debriefing sessions as indicators of relationship problems. 196 Firearm regulation during mental illness and domestic violence cases. 197 Conclusion 197 Limitations of the Study and Recommendations 199 Summary 201 References 203 Appendix A 225 South-African Police Service Suicide Follow-Up Questionnaire 225 x Appendix B 234 South African Police Service Homicide-Suicide Incidence Coding Form 234 Appendix C 244 Informed Consent Form 244 Appendix D 247 Semi-Structured Interview Schedule 247 xi List of Tables Table 1.1 Suicide rates for the SAPS for the period 2009 to 2012 ...........................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Suicide, Jews and Judaism
    Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 4 December 2017 doi:10.20944/preprints201712.0020.v1 Suicide, Jews and Judaism Kate Miriam Loewenthal Royal Holloway, University of London, New York University in London, Glyndwr University, Wales, Heythrop College University of London Keywords: suicide; Jewish law; suicide ideation; self-harm Abstract This article will examine the ambivalence in the views of Jewish authorities towards suicide. There are Jewish rulings which forbid the taking of one's own life, including requested euthanasia. There are seemingly contrary rulings which tolerate and sometimes admire suicide, particularly under conditions of religious persecution. The article will attempt an overview of suicide rates in Jewish communities, indicating variations in different circumstances. The question of whether religiosity affects suicide will be raised and examined. These variations—and of course other factors—may offer some clues to the precursors of suicide, and the processes which may be involved. The causal and risk factors in self-harm among Jews will also be examined. The article then turns to post-suicide events, behaviours and attitudes in Jewish communities. Introduction: Jewish law on suicide The World Health Organisation (2017) estimates about 800 000 completed suicides worldwide, accounting for 1.4% of all deaths. Suicide was the 17th leading cause of death in 2015, and the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. There are about 20 attempted suicides for every completed suicide, with incomplete suicide a strong predictor of later completed suicide. How do religious factors relate to suicide? This article will focus on the question in the Jewish community.
    [Show full text]
  • Suicide: a Unique Epidemic in Japan a High GDP, a Literacy Rate of 99
    Suicide: A Unique Epidemic in Japan Magdalena Wilson College of Arts and Science, Vanderbilt University Japan, a country with a long life expectancy, strong economy and stable political system seems like an unlikely place to encounter a deadly global epidemic. Yet, the unique history and culture of Japan, including its religion, media, and economy, create a setting in which rates of suicide are reaching unprecedented levels. The culture of Japan combined with the peculiar nature of suicide, which allows it to evade clear classification as a disease, creates an intriguing public health challenge for Japan in tackling this epidemic. A high GDP, a literacy rate of 99 percent, a performing a form of seppuku more appropriate for healthy life expectancy of 72-78 years, and a health times of peace, junshi or “suicide to follow one‟s lord budget of 1660 international dollars per capita (World to the grave,” (59) as an outlet for expressing their Health Organization 2005) are not the features valor and dedication to their lord. Seppuku emerged typically associated with a country suffering from one yet again in a slightly different form in the 17th of the worst outbreaks of a deadly global epidemic. century Japanese legal system as a somewhat more Then again, nothing is really typical about the suicide dignified alternative to the death penalty. Throughout epidemic in Japan. In general, suicide is a growing the next two hundred years, seppuku remained central public health problem globally, with international to Japanese society in its various forms until Japan suicide rates increasing 60 percent in the last 45 years began to modernize during the Meiji period in the late (World Health Organization 2009).
    [Show full text]
  • Prison Suicide: an Overview and Guide to Prevention National Institute of Corrections
    U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections Prison Suicide: An Overview and Guide to Prevention National Institute of Corrections Morris L. Thigpen, Director Susan M. Hunter, Chief Prisons Division John E. Moore, Project Manager Prison Suicide: An Overview and Guide to Prevention By Lindsay M. Hayes Project Director National Center on Institutions and Alternatives Mansfield, Massachusetts June 1995 This document was prepared under grant number 93P01GHU1 from the National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Copyright © 1995 by the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives The National Institute of Corrections reserves the right to reproduce, publish, translate, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to publish and use all or any part of the copyrighted material contained in this publication. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD .......................................................................................................................................v PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................vi 1. INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................1 2. NATIONAL AND STATE STANDARDS FOR PRISON SUICIDE PREVENTION ...........................................................................................................8
    [Show full text]
  • SUICIDE and FIRST RESPONDERS' ROLE
    SUICIDE and FIRST RESPONDERS’ ROLE WHO ARE FIRST RESPONDERS? While this is true, it is important to consider that first responders also are used as a resource by and First responders, also known as first interveners, for people who are suffering emotional, mental include a variety of public officials who deal with health and substance abuse issues. emergency situations on a day-to-day basis. This Unfortunately, most first responders are not group includes, but is not limited to firefighters, specifically trained in the area of mental illness. police officers, EMTs, paramedics and emergency Many are unaware of the common warning signs department personnel. When calls or visits are of suicide and do not know the appropriate action made for individuals needing emergency to take when they encounter someone who is assistance, whether by that individual or on their exhibiting suicidal behavior. behalf, first responders are the first professionals to come into contact with the situation. First Being the first point of contact with individuals in responders uphold a duty to shield those in their emergency situations, first responders’ community from harm. knowledge and handling of emergency situations greatly influences the end result of these crises. In WHY THE ROLE OF FIRST RESPONDERS IS SO situations involving suicide, the end result is IMPORTANT ultimately fatal if not handled properly. First responders, with the appropriate knowledge and Situations that first responders encounter may be training, can save lives in suicidal situations. of suicidal nature, especially those that are mental health emergencies. The Illinois Violent Death PREVENTION/INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR FIRST Reporting System indicates 72 percent of Illinois RESPONDERS suicides occurred at the victim’s residence.
    [Show full text]
  • The Psychology Behind Jonestown: When Extreme Obedience and Conformity Collide Abstract 2
    THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND JONESTOWN 1 Anna Maria College The Psychology Behind Jonestown: When Extreme Obedience and Conformity Collide Submitted by: Claudia Daniela Luiz Author’s Note: This thesis was prepared by Law and Society and Psychology student, Claudia Daniela Luiz for HON 490, Honors Senior Seminar, taught by Dr. Bidwell and written under the supervision of Dr. Pratico, Psychology Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at Anna Maria College. RUNNING HEAD: THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND JONESTOWN 2 Abstract Notoriously throughout our history, cults of extremist religious views have made the headlines for a number of different crimes. Simply looking at instances like the Branch Davidians in Waco, or the members of the People’s Temple of Christ from Jonestown, it’s easy to see there is no lack of evidence as to the disastrous effects of what happens when these cults reach an extreme. When one person commits an atrocious crime, we can blame that person for their actions, but who do we blame when there’s 5 or even 900 people that commit a crime because they are so seemingly brainwashed by an individual that they’ll blindly follow and do whatever that individual says? Studying cases, like that of Jonestown and the People’s Temple of Christ, where extreme conformity and obedience have led to disastrous and catastrophic results is important because in the words of George Santayana “those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” By studying and analyzing Jonestown and the mass suicide that occurred there, people can learn how Jim Jones was able to gain complete control of the minds of his over 900 followers and why exactly people began following him in the first.
    [Show full text]
  • Suicide by Cop: What Motivates Those Who Choose This Method? Ralph H
    Cases That Test Your Skills Suicide by cop: What motivates those who choose this method? Ralph H. de Similien, MD, MS, MEd, and Adamma Okorafor, MD Mr. Z, age 25, has a history of suicidality. Recently he attempted How would you to provoke a police officer to shoot him, hoping to be killed in handle this case? Answer the challenge the process. How would you approach this ‘suicide by cop’? questions throughout this article CASE Unresponsive and suicidal Which characteristics increase the risk of Mr. Z, age 25, an unemployed immigrant “suicide by cop (SBC)”? from Eastern Europe, is found unrespon- a) male sex sive at a subway station. Workup in the b) previous suicide attempt emergency room reveals a positive urine c) untreated psychiatric disorders toxicology for benzodiazepines and a blood d) religiosity alcohol level of 101.6 mg/dL. When Mr. Z e) all of the above regains consciousness the next day, he says that he is suicidal. He recently broke up with his girlfriend and feels worthless, hope- The authors’ observations less, and depressed. As a suicide attempt, The means of suicide differ among indi- he took quetiapine and diazepam chased viduals. Some attempt suicide by them- with vodka. selves; others through the involuntary Mr. Z reports a history of suicide attempts. participation of others, such as the police. He says he has been suffering from depres- This is known as SBC. Other terms include sion most of his life and has been diagnosed “suicide by means of victim-precipitated with bipolar I disorder and borderline per- homicide,”1 “hetero-suicide,”2 “suicide by sonality disorder.
    [Show full text]
  • Sunni Suicide Attacks and Sectarian Violence
    Terrorism and Political Violence ISSN: 0954-6553 (Print) 1556-1836 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ftpv20 Sunni Suicide Attacks and Sectarian Violence Seung-Whan Choi & Benjamin Acosta To cite this article: Seung-Whan Choi & Benjamin Acosta (2018): Sunni Suicide Attacks and Sectarian Violence, Terrorism and Political Violence, DOI: 10.1080/09546553.2018.1472585 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2018.1472585 Published online: 13 Jun 2018. Submit your article to this journal View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ftpv20 TERRORISM AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2018.1472585 Sunni Suicide Attacks and Sectarian Violence Seung-Whan Choi c and Benjamin Acosta a,b aInterdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel; bInternational Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Herzliya, Israel; cPolitical Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA ABSTRACT KEY WORDS Although fundamentalist Sunni Muslims have committed more than Suicide attacks; sectarian 85% of all suicide attacks, empirical research has yet to examine how violence; Sunni militants; internal sectarian conflicts in the Islamic world have fueled the most jihad; internal conflict dangerous form of political violence. We contend that fundamentalist Sunni Muslims employ suicide attacks as a political tool in sectarian violence and this targeting dynamic marks a central facet of the phenomenon today. We conduct a large-n analysis, evaluating an original dataset of 6,224 suicide attacks during the period of 1980 through 2016. A series of logistic regression analyses at the incidence level shows that, ceteris paribus, sectarian violence between Sunni Muslims and non-Sunni Muslims emerges as a substantive, signifi- cant, and positive predictor of suicide attacks.
    [Show full text]
  • The Most Common Method of Suicide in Tehran 2000–2004
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23182135 The Most Common Method of Suicide in Tehran 2000–2004 Article in Crisis The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention · February 2008 DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910.29.3.164 · Source: PubMed CITATIONS READS 7 69 4 authors, including: Mohsen Rezaeian Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences 240 PUBLICATIONS 1,176 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Suicide Mortality in Kermanshah Province View project nasal carriage of s. aureus among health workers in Iran View project All content following this page was uploaded by Mohsen Rezaeian on 11 December 2015. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. M. Razaeian et al.: Method© 2008 ofCrisis Suicide Hogrefe2008; in Tehran Vol.& Huber 29(3):164–166 2000–2004 Publishers Short Report The Most Common Method of Suicide in Tehran 2000–2004 Implications for Prevention Mohsen Razaeian1,2, Maryam Mohammadi2, Malihe Akbari2, and Maryam Maleki2 1Social Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences 2Public Health Department, School of Health, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, both Tehran, Iran Abstract. The likelihood of completing suicide depends to some extent on knowledge of effective means and also on the availability and/or acceptability of such methods. Since studying suicide methods may have an implication for prevention, the focus of this study was on the most favored method of suicide in Tehran, Iran. The study uses confirmed suicide data provided by the Beheshet Zahra Organization (BZO), which gathers all mortality data within Tehran and enters them into a computerized database, from which the relevant information for all the recorded suicide cases during the year 2000 to 2004 were obtained and analyzed.
    [Show full text]
  • National Study of Jail Suicide: 20 Years Later Foreword
    U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections 320 First Street, NW Washington, DC 20534 Morris L. Thigpen Director Thomas J. Beauclair Deputy Director Virginia A. Hutchinson Chief, Jails Division Fran Zandi Program Manager National Institute of Corrections www.nicic.gov Lindsay M. Hayes, Project Director National Center on Institutions and Alternatives April 2010 NIC Accession Number 024308 This document was prepared under cooperative agreement number 06J47GJM0 from the National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................ix Executive Summary ............................................................................................xi Chapter 1. Introduction ...................................................................................... 1 Prior Jail Suicide Research .................................................................................... 2 A Word About Suicide Victim Profiles .................................................................... 3 Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2000...............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Mass Suicide Before Jonestown: the Russian Old Believers Author(S): Thomas Robbins Source: Sociological Analysis, Vol
    Religious Mass Suicide before Jonestown: The Russian Old Believers Author(s): Thomas Robbins Source: Sociological Analysis, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Spring, 1986), pp. 1-20 Published by: Oxford University Press Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3711273 Accessed: 26-05-2020 23:39 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms Oxford University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Sociological Analysis This content downloaded from 146.244.101.138 on Tue, 26 May 2020 23:39:38 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms RELIGIOUS MASS SUICIDE BEFORE JONESTOWN: THE RUSSIAN OLD BELIEVERS Thomas Robbins Rochester, MN Over a period of several decades in late seventeenth and early eighteenth century Russia, tens of thousands of "Old Believers" committed suicide, generally by self-immolation. Most of the suicides were not individual acts but transpired in the context of catastrophic collective events at hermitages or monasteries. In several instances the number of persons who perished at a burned-out settlement far ex- ceeded the number of deaths at Jonestown. Convergences with the People 's Temple holocaust include: a general climate of apocalyptic excitation; a sectarian mani- chean outlook which perceived absolute evil triumphant in the world, and in which political" themes became more prominent over time; and a conviction of imminent armed assault by hostile forces.
    [Show full text]
  • A Template for the Investigation of Suicidal Behavior and Subject Precipitated Homicide
    Volume 3, Number 1, March 2011 A Template for the Investigation of Suicidal Behavior And Subject Precipitated Homicide Thomas Streed, Ph.D.1 Abstract Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death among all Americans, the second leading cause of death among Americans ages 25-34, and the third leading cause of death among Americans ages 15 to 24.2 Over the past 30 years, researchers have created a number of mnemonics to aid in the identification and quick assessment of pre-suicidal individuals; however, these mnemonics have been limited in terms of their scope. While the 65-point mnemonic template, “S-U-I-CI-D-A-L,” developed by Forensic Consultation International (FCI) also describes criteria that aid in the recognition of an individual who is at risk of committing suicide, it further provides a template to aid in the determination of whether the mode of an undetermined death is consistent with a natural death, an accidental death, a suicide, a homicide, or must remain as undetermined. Additionally, the “S-U- I-CI-D-A-L” mnemonic provides a template for the investigation of Subject Precipitated Homicide (suicide-by-cop). Keywords: Psychological Autopsy; Self-destruction; Suicide; Suicide-by-cop; Police Shootings; Death Investigation. Overview National Vital Statistics Reports indicate that the number of deaths from all causes in the United States for 2008, which is the last year that statistics have been compiled in the U.S., was 2,472,699. Of these deaths, 35,933 were reported as suicides, which occurred at a 1 Dr. Streed is a retired Homicide Detective from the San Diego County Sherriff’s Department, He is also an internationally recognized behavioral scientist, who is the founder and owner of Forensic Consultation International, a privately held company that consults throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico, Central and South America regarding the investigation and analysis of criminal activity and violent behavior.
    [Show full text]
  • Trend of Suicide in Kermanshah During 11 Years (2004 to 2014), Iran A.H
    Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences (2017) 6(2): 17- 24 © UDS Publishers Limited All Right Reserved 2026-6294 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jmbs.v6i2.3 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Trend of Suicide in Kermanshah during 11 years (2004 to 2014), Iran A.H. Hashemian 1,2, F. Najafi1, T.A. Jouybary3, and Z. Moradi Nazar 4 1Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), 2Department of Biostatistics, 4Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, 3Clinical Research Development Center. Imam Khomeini Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Suicide is one of the most important health problems which has dedicated a significant part of the energy and health care costs to itself. The present study carried out to investigate trend of suicide in Kermanshah province during 2004-2014. This is an analytical (cross sectional) study in which all cases died by suicide and documented in forensics of Kermanshah during 2004 – 2014 were investigated. For evaluating the trend for suicide, Poisson regression model was used and to calculate suicide rate, census data from 2006 and 2011 as well as Organization for Civil Registration were obtained. During the 11 years of study, 2799 people died in Kermanshah province by suicide; among which 1681 (60.1%) were men and 1118 (39.9%) were women. The average annual mortality rate was 15.77 per 100,000; that is, 12.81 women and 18.62 men per every 100,000 populations. The highest number of deaths caused by suicide was witnessed among the age group 20-24 by 24.91 per 100,000.
    [Show full text]