Femicide: The impact of victim /offender relationship on crime characteristics.
Item
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Title
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Femicide: The impact of victim /offender relationship on crime characteristics.
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Identifier
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AAI3205005
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identifier
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3205005
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Creator
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Morgan, Donna M.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Patricia Zapf
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Date
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2006
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Sociology, Criminology and Penology
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Abstract
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The complexity of human behavior is never more evident than in the events surrounding the taking of another life (Flewelling & Williams, 1999). However, the preponderance of research on homicide has primarily focused on those committed against male victims (Moracco, Runyan, & Butts, 1998). Therefore, currently recognized patterns and theories in homicide research may merely be representative of those involving male victimization.;Recent studies examining femicide have shown that it is, in fact, very different than homicide committed against men. It has been shown that homicides against women have different causes and circumstances than male-victim homicide, especially in terms of victim/offender characteristics, relationship, motive, method, and location (Block & Christakos, 1995; Moracco et al., 1998). Furthermore, this research has shown that just as homicide is not a homogeneous phenomenon, neither is femicide. We can expect different characteristics of the victim, offender, and offense based upon the victim/offender relationship.;The present study adds to the growing body of knowledge on homicides against women by examining the role of the victim/offender relationship in crime characteristic variation. A number of hypotheses related to victim/offender characteristics, method, location, and crime scene behavior were developed utilizing an integrated lifestyle-routine activities approach. These hypotheses were tested through the analyses of 393 solved and unsolved cases of femicide committed in New Jersey during a seven-year period (1991 through 1997). This information was obtained from homicide reports completed by the case investigators and submitted to the New Jersey State Police, Violent Crime Analysis Unit (ViCAP). These reports include information on victim/offender relationship, victim/offender characteristics, location, cause of death, sexual assault, and additional crime scene behavior.;While quantitative analyses are utilized in the present study to examine the patterns and interactions found in femicide, qualitative interviews help provide depth to this data. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve offenders to provide further insight into the factors behind the offenders' behavior. The combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses presented in this dissertation helps provide a more comprehensive examination of femicide at the macro level as well as at lower levels of aggregation.;This dissertation provides new insight into the victim/offender interaction. Most notably, it has practical utility for investigators. It provides a more scientific and systematic basis to previously subjective approaches of police investigations through an increased understanding of femicide and the affect of the victim/offender relationship.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
