American Homicide

American Homicide examines all types of homicide, and gives additional attention to the more prevalent types of murder and suspicious deaths in the United States. Authors Richard M. Hough and Kimberly D. McCorkle employ more than 30 years of academic and practitioner experience to help explain why and how people kill and how society reacts. This brief, yet comprehensive book takes a balanced approach, combining scholarly research and theory with compelling details about recent cases and coverage of current trends. Comparative coverage of homicide types and rates in countries around the world shows how American homicide statistics compare internationally. 

1. Introducing You to Homicide
Introduction
Homicide: What Most People Think They Know
Organization of the Book
Historic and Contemporary
What This Book Is Not
Policy Implications
2. Who’s Killing Whom and How Much
Introduction
What We Measure
How We Measure
Studying Homicide Situations
Data Challenges
3. Murder by the Numbers
Introduction
Victims—Who Dies
Offenders—Categories and Demographics
Location, Location, Location
Weapons Used in Violence
Other Circumstances
Trends and Patterns
Homicide Internationally
4. Why We Do It: Theories of Homicide
Introduction: Sociological and Criminological Perspectives
Individual Explanations
Social Structural
Life Course, Lifestyle, and Routine Activities Theory
5. Confrontational Homicide
Introduction
Victim Precipitation
Honor Contests
Road Rage
Audience
Alcohol
Physiology
Girls, Women, and Confrontational Homicide
Investigative Considerations
6. Intimate Partner Homicide
Introduction
Rates
Dynamics of Intimate Partner Homicide
Theories to Explain Intimate Partner Homicide
Lethality Assessment
Fatality Review Teams
Prosecution of Intimate Partner Homicide
7. All in the Family
Introduction
Familicide
Parents and Children
Other Family Killings
8. School Killings
Introduction
Mass Shootings and Attacks
The Killers
Motivations of Those Who Kill
International Incidents
Policy Responses
9. Mass Murder in Public and the Workplace
Introduction
Public Places
Workplace Violence
Workplace Victims
The Workplace Killer
Assessing Violence Potential
Policy Implications
10. Killings by Groups: Gangs and Cults
Introduction
Gangs and Killing
Cults and New Religious Movements (NRM)
Cult Leaders and Followers
Assessing Impacts
Policy Implications
11. Tool of Terror
Introduction
Definition and History
Acts of Terror
Who Are Terrorists?
Hate Crimes and Killing
Role of the Media
Stopping Terrorists
12. Serial Killing
Introduction
Myth and Mayhem
Typologies
Profiling Serial Killers
Female Serial Killers
Medical or Health Care Serial Killers
Team Serial Killers
Catching Serial Killers
13. Solving Homicides
Introduction
First Officer on the Scene
Arriving With Caution
Locard’s Exchange Principle
Investigator Arrives
Documentation
Collection of Evidence
ME or No ME?
Prosecutors: Who Needs ‘Em?
Technology
Case Personnel
Working With the Media
Cold Case Investigations
14. Murder in Court
Introduction
Stages in Homicide Cases
Expert Witness Testimony
Building the Case and Charging Decisions
Evidentiary Issues
Defense Attorney Functions and Tactics
Ethical Issues
Plea Bargaining
Sentencing
15. Victims, Society, and the Future
Introduction
Victim Impact
Public Health Perspective
Criminal Justice System Response and Legislation
Societal Issues
Predicting Violence
Technology