Helinä Häkkänen

The Structure of Crime-Scene Actions in Finnish Homicides

The structure of crime-scene actions in Finnish homicides was analyzed using the theoretical distinction between instrumental and expressive aggression. Thirty-eight crime-scene actions were derived from the files of single-offender, single-victim Finnish homicides (N = 502). A multidimensional scaling procedure was used to investigate their structure. An expressive core indicating an emotional and impulsive attack without any indication of planning or post-mortem dealing with the body was found. Over 40% of the cases had no additional variables present. A distinction between expressive and instrumental types of aggression was observable in the rest of the crime-scene actions. The instrumental actions were further divided into subthemes indicating either a sexual or a resource-acquirement theme. Likewise, the expressive actions were divided into three subthemes, where the main emphasis had to do with the use of firearms, hiding and moving the body, and removing parts of the body.

Crime scene actions and offender characteristics in arsons

Purpose. Crime scene actions displayed by offenders in arsons were analysed in relation to offender characteristics and self-reported motives. Methods. Data were drawn from an official police database and consisted of a random sample of arsons occurring in Finland between 1990 and 2001 (N = 189). The structure of dichotomous variables derived through a content analysis of crime scene actions and offender characteristics was analysed using non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses. Results. The analyses revealed four separate crime scene action types, with thematic emphasis on either expressive or instrumental motivation and the target being either a person or object. The MDS solution for offender characteristics suggested four types of offenders: Self-destructive, Serial, Criminal, and Adolescent. In order to analyse the associations between action and characteristics themes, each case was assigned to one of the action and characteristic themes or a hybrid based on the frequency of variables present from each theme. Several statistically significant associations between the action and characteristic themes were found. Self-reported motives were also analysed in relation to the themes. Conclusions. The results support the thematic classification of arsonists presented in Canter and Fritzon (1998). The results are discussed with regard to earlier research and deducing offender characteristics based on crime scene actions.

Background characteristics of mentally ill homicide offenders – a comparison of five diagnostic groups

Background characteristics of homicide offenders in relation to their diagnoses were investigated. Forensic psychiatric examination statements of 183 Finnish homicide offenders belonging to five different diagnostic categories were content-analysed for 90 dichotomous offender background variables. In several aspects alcoholics resembled offenders with no diagnosis, in that these offenders had less problematic backgrounds compared to other groups. Offenders with schizophrenia were relatively well-adjusted in childhood, however, in adolescence and adulthood, social isolation, withdrawal and other difficulties attributable to the illness of these offenders became evident. Offenders with personality disorder or drug addiction had experienced multiple difficulties in their early environments: both family and individual problems, such as parental alcohol abuse and school problems, were typical. The results suggest that offenders with different disorders differ in their background variables. These results emphasize the importance of early interventions for problem families and children at risk of antisocial behaviour and may also benefit development of effective treatments for violent offenders as well as investigations of homicide. Some methodological problems in forensic psychiatric examination based research are considered.

Offence and offender characteristics among two groups of Finnish homicide offenders with schizophrenia: Comparison of early- and late-start offenders

Offence and offender characteristics were analysed among 109 Finnish persons with schizophrenia who were accused of a homicide between the years 1983 and 2002. Distinguishing characteristics between two groups were examined: early starters, who present antisocial behaviour before the onset of schizophrenia, were compared with late starters, who first offend after the onset of mental disorder. The results suggest that the offence characteristics of early- and late-start offenders with schizophrenia differ only modestly. However, several significant differences between the groups were found in the offender characteristics. Behaviour problems and psychiatric contacts in childhood were more common among early-start offenders with schizophrenia. The findings are discussed with regard to investigative work and the criminal justice system.

Differences between homicide and filicide offenders; results of a nationwide register-based case-control study

BackgroundFilicide, the killing of ones child, is an extraordinary form of homicide. It has commonly been associated with suicide and parental psychiatric illness. In the research on filicide, nationwide studies with comparison groups, specific perpetrator subgroups, and assessment of possible risk factors have been called for. The purpose of the current study was to provide all that.MethodsIn this nationwide register-based case-control study all filicide offenders who were in a forensic psychiatric examination in Finland 1995–2004 were examined and compared with an age- and gender matched control group of homicide offenders. The assessed variables were psychosocial history, index offence, and psychiatric variables as well as psychopathy using the PCL-R.ResultsFilicide offenders were not significantly more often diagnosed with psychotic disorders than the controls but they had attempted suicide at the crime scene significantly more often. Filicide offenders had alcohol abuse/dependence and antisocial personality less often than the controls. Filicide offenders scored significantly lower on psychopathy than the controls. Within the group of filicide offenders, the psychopathy items with relatively higher scores were lack of remorse or guilt, shallow affect, callous/lack of empathy, poor behavioral controls, and failure to accept responsibility.ConclusionSince filicide offenders did not seem significantly more mentally disordered than the other homicide offenders, psychiatry alone cannot be held responsible for the prevention of filicide. Extensive international studies are needed to replicate our findings and provide more specific knowledge in order to enhance prevention.

Changes over time in homicides by women: a register‐based study comparing female offenders from 1982 to 1992 and 1993 to 2005

BACKGROUND The contribution of women to violent offending, including homicide, may be increasing as society changes. AIMS The aim of this paper was to test for trends in homicide by women in Finland. METHODS A retrospective register-based study was conducted by comparing two national cohorts: one from 1982 to 1992 and the other from 1993 to 2005. RESULTS There was a small increase in the proportion of homicides committed by women over time, but the most striking difference between the cohorts was in the significantly higher frequency of alcohol abuse/dependence in the later cohort and of being under the influence of alcohol during the crime. Fewer perpetrators were regarded as lacking or being of diminished responsibility in the later cohort. The victims of the earlier cohort were emotionally closer to the offender than those of the later one. CONCLUSIONS In Finland, there have been changes in characteristics of women who commit homicide and their crimes over time, with the apparent development of a subgroup of women who kill who are much more like men who kill than women in the 1980s and early 1990s. Preventing substance abuse and marginalization are likely to be important ways of preventing homicide by both female and male perpetrators.

The intergenerational cycle of criminality--association with psychopathy.

Abstract:  Preventive interventions early in life are likely to lower the risk of intergenerational transmission of criminal behavior. We investigated if psychopathy among homicidal offenders is associated with criminal offending among the offenders’ offspring. The basic sample consisted of consecutive Finnish homicide offenders (during 1995–2004) who had been subjected to a forensic psychiatric examination and rated for a file‐based PCL‐R, and their offspring. Criminal behavior among both genders of the offspring was more common than in the general population. In general, the offspring’s crimes against others (e.g., threat, intimidation, deprivation of freedom, breach of domicile) were associated with their parent’s psychopathy. A grandfather’s major mental disorder was associated with a high rate of crime committed by the offspring. Especially, the sons of male psychopathic homicidal offenders had the highest rate of committing crimes, which was often expressed as vandalism. However, both genders of offspring seem to require special preventive programs to ameliorate these problems.

Finnish Bomb Threats: Offence and Offender Characteristics

The current explorative study explored the offence and offender characteristics in Finnish bomb threats (N = 69). The results showed that the bomb threats were most frequently targeted at restaurants and shopping centres. The offenders almost exclusively used telephones in communicating their threats. Most frequently, it was their own, recognisable phone number. The bomb threats were usually direct and contained very little information. In 29% of the cases, the offender had been at the target location within 24 hours of the bomb threat. The results showed further that a typical person making the bomb threat was a middle-aged man with a criminal background, who works at a construction site. The most frequent motive for making the threat was revenge or vandalism. The results also indicated that the offender characteristics cannot be reliably inferred by assessing the target or the threat. The findings are discussed with regard to the previous research on bomb-related offences.

Inferring the Characteristics of an Arsonist from Crime Scene Actions: A Case Study in Offender Profiling:

The purpose of the present case study was to apply psychological models of offender behaviour in providing assistance to an ongoing police investigation of a series of arsons. After a general description of the series, the analysis of the crime scene and spatial behaviour of the offender were described followed by predictions concerning likely background characteristics and home location. The accuracy of these predictions was evaluated against information concerning the suspect in the case. The characteristics predicted, based on the findings of Canter and Fritzon (1998), were in good accordance with the actual characteristics of the suspect in the case. Also, it was possible to provide fairly good estimates of the home location of the suspect based on the crime locations. There was a difference between those predicted characteristics that were based strictly on the Canter and Fritzon model and the spatial predictions which were more accurate compared to predictions based on ‘common sense’.