Hannah Scott

The female family annihilator an exploratory study

This study explores patterns among female family annihilators using a non-random sample (n = 7), where offenders killed four or more family members during a single homicidal event. Acts of maternal familicide are measured against the family annihilator profile. Overall, many variables remain consistent across gender, but there appear to be substantive differences in motivation, spousal murder attempt, and the role of alcohol. Findings suggest that research on the family annihilator needs to be more inclusive of women, including use of more gender-neutral language. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed, and a new definition of the family annihilator is offered.

Individual Factors Predicting Mental Health Court Diversion Outcome

Objective: This study examined which individual factors predict mental health court diversion outcome among a sample of persons with mental illness participating in a postcharge diversion program. Method: The study employed secondary analysis of existing program records for 419 persons with mental illness in a court diversion program. Results: Analysis revealed that unemployment was a significant predictor of program completion. Employment and symptom severity were predictive of partial program completion, while participants who did not complete programming were more likely to have a concurrent disorder and were more likely to be residentially unstable than participants who did complete programming. Conclusion: These findings discuss characteristics of persons with mental illness, as they relate to the likelihood of completing diversion programming.

The “Gentler Sex”

This chapter examines patterns of serial homicides committed by women from 1600 to 2004, which are estimated to comprise approximately 10% to 15% of all serial murder offenders. More specifically, this chapter seeks to lend understanding to those serial homicides committed specifically by women in dominant roles as murderer. Women who acted alone or in concert with another where the accomplice was in a subordinate role are also examined. Patterns suggest that women who commit serial murder and are dominant tend to have significantly different patterns of action when compared to those of men in the same role. Trends include, but are not limited to, the following: women are less likely to use physical violence, are more likely to use poison, are more likely to choose children and men as part of their victim pool, and have a higher estimated kill ratio than men. Implications of the lack of recognition of these killers’ actions for both research and detection are discussed.

Extending the Duluth Model to Workplace Bullying: A Modification and Adaptation of the Workplace Power-Control Wheel

Workplace bullying (WB) is an increasingly prevalent topic in the nursing literature. Recently, a new concept has been introduced into WB research to explain the motivations of WB instigators using elements of the Power-Control Wheel (PCW). Initially, this wheel was designed to assist intimate partner violence (IPV) targets/victims identify patterns of abuse and intervene with male batterers/instigators. Research examining IPV and victims/survivors of WB demonstrate that targets often share common abusive experiences, including intimidation, coercion and threats, isolation, and economic and emotional abuse. This article demonstrates clear support for the Duluth Model and its application to WB target experiences. Applications of this model to identify WB and assist individuals to identify and describe experiences of abusive work environments are discussed.