Louis B. Schlesinger

Familicide, depression and catathymic process.

A case of familicide by a 36-year-old male is reported. After years of stable marriage, exemplary military service, and steady employment, the subject developed his first episode of depression triggered, in part, by his inability to solve a problem associated with completion of a home improvement project. As the depression intensified, and dormant conflicts regarding his competency and self-esteem were rekindled, he experienced pronounced feelings of failure. After an extended period of agonizing about his problem, the idea suddenly emerged that his only recourse was to kill his family and himself, in order to spare everyone the humiliation of his perceived inadequacy. Such a fixed idea, along with a mounting pressure to act, is characteristic of the (chronic) catathymic process, in which a subject, without apparent motive, resorts to extreme violence directed at someone close to him. A detailed discussion of this case within the framework of catathymic process adds to our knowledge of family mass murder and refines the profile of potentially familicidal men.

Adolescent Sexual Matricide Following Repetitive Mother-Son Incest

A case of a 16-year-old male who committed a sexual matricide following years of mother-son incest is reported. After murdering his mother by strangulation, which itself was sexually arousing, the youngster engaged in both vaginal and anal necrophilia. The homicide occurred while the perpetrator was in a dissociative state and experiencing what has been referred to as a catathymic crisis: the sudden release of emotionally charged psychic conflict and tension, resulting in extreme violence within an interpersonal bond. Discussion of maternal image and maternal sexual conduct in relationship to the psychosexual development of adolescent males offers insight into the motivation in this extremely rare case.

The Contract Murderer: Patterns, Characteristics, and Dynamics

A case of an independent professional contract murderer, who killed over 100 people, is reported. After eluding law enforcement for 30 years, the subject killed several associates who he believed could implicate him in various crimes. These homicides eventually led to his arrest, since the victims were individuals who could be linked to him. This hit man had a background of poverty and childhood abuse but, as an adult, had pursued a middle-class lifestyle and kept his family totally separate from his criminal career. In addition, he had a number of characteristics that helped him carry out his crimes in a highly planned, methodical, and organized manner: he had adept social judgment; personality traits of orderliness, control, and paranoid vigilance; useful defense mechanisms of rationalization and reframing; and an exceptional ability to encapsulate emotions. This case is discussed within the context of contract murder, a crime that occurs relatively frequently and is probably increasing; yet it often goes undetected, the arrest rate is low, and the offender is rarely studied.

Stalking, Homicide, and Catathymic Process: A Case Study

Despite the proliferation of research on various aspects of stalking, there has been relatively little study of stalkers who commit homicide. In this article, a man who stalked and killed a casual acquaintance is reported. He developed an idea to kill her that, at first, seemed ego-alien and unreal but eventually became fixed and was accompanied by a mounting inner pressure to act. The concept of catathymic process—a change in thinking whereby the offender comes to believe that he can resolve his inner conflict by committing an act of extreme violence against someone to whom he feels emotionally bonded—is of particular help in understanding this case, as well as similar cases of stalking that culminate in homicide.

Celebrity Stalking, Homicide, and Suicide A Psychological Autopsy

Despite the high-profile nature of many celebrity stalking cases, little is known about the offenders and even less is known about those who kill their celebrity victims. The case of an obsessed fan who attempted to kill a rock star and then committed suicide is presented. By analyzing his detailed diary, both insight into the motivational dynamics of this type of stalker and delineation of several warning signs, which help differentiate an enthusiastic fan from one who harbors a potentially dangerous obsession, is gained.

Suicide by Cop: Clinical Risks and Subtypes

This study examines whether clinical classification schemes from general suicide research are applicable for cases of suicide by cop (SbC) and whether there are indicators as to why the police might be engaged in the suicide. Using archival law enforcement data, 13 clinical risks were examined among 68 cases of SbC using exploratory factor analysis and k–means cluster analysis. Three subtypes of SbC cases emerged: Mental Illness, Criminality, and Not Otherwise Specified. The subtypes varied significantly on their levels of mental illness, substance use, and criminal activity. Findings suggest that reducing fragmentation between law enforcement and mental health service providers might be a crucial goal for suicide intervention and prevention, at least among cases of SbC.

Editorial: Relevant, Practical, Interdisciplinary Research A Challenge for Us All

The International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology is a multispecialty international journal read by psychiatrists, psychologists, criminologists, sociologists, attorneys, investigators, and other informed researchers and practitioners. It is an ideal vehicle for publishing relevant, practical, and interdisciplinary research, and it does. But this is not always an easy goal to achieve. We have to try hard to ensure that not only do our articles encompass solid science, but also that the results are applicable to practitioners of different specialty areas. The process of understanding human nature through research is slow and painstaking; we can easily lose focus and get lost in detail. In fact, the renowned philosopher of science T. S. Kuhn (1962) noted that “scientific development becomes the piecemeal process by which . . . items have been added, singly and in combination, to the ever growing stockpile that constitutes scientific technique and knowledge” (p. 2). Most clinical practitioners—who are not researchers themselves, but consumers of research—really want to keep up with the latest thinking and findings in a particular area, such as criminal behavior. But clinicians, who are busy practicing, often get frustrated with the tedium of purely research-oriented articles; they often stop reading them entirely because of the lack of apparent applicability to their hands-on work. I cannot tell you the number of practitioners who have remarked to me that so many journals are filled with articles that are simply irrelevant to their needs. As a result, they often stop reading the periodicals entirely. Our journal is not of this type, and we have to remain committed that its contents remain relevant and practical. But not only must we strive to make sure our research findings remain relevant, we must also strive for interdisciplinary cooperation in carrying out the research itself. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for individuals of various professions to collaborate only with others in their own discipline. In fact, it has been only in the past 15 or so years that members of different professions have routinely collaborated on research and scholarship. In 1989, psychiatrist Eugene Revitch and I wrote Sex Murder and Sex Aggression. We asked Roy Hazelwood, a member of the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, to write the foreword. His words were prescient:

Editorial: Relevant, Practical, Interdisciplinary Research

The International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology is a multispecialty international journal read by psychiatrists, psychologists, criminologists, sociologists, attorneys, investigators, and other informed researchers and practitioners. It is an ideal vehicle for publishing relevant, practical, and interdisciplinary research, and it does. But this is not always an easy goal to achieve. We have to try hard to ensure that not only do our articles encompass solid science, but also that the results are applicable to practitioners of different specialty areas. The process of understanding human nature through research is slow and painstaking; we can easily lose focus and get lost in detail. In fact, the renowned philosopher of science T. S. Kuhn (1962) noted that “scientific development becomes the piecemeal process by which . . . items have been added, singly and in combination, to the ever growing stockpile that constitutes scientific technique and knowledge” (p. 2). Most clinical practitioners—who are not researchers themselves, but consumers of research—really want to keep up with the latest thinking and findings in a particular area, such as criminal behavior. But clinicians, who are busy practicing, often get frustrated with the tedium of purely research-oriented articles; they often stop reading them entirely because of the lack of apparent applicability to their hands-on work. I cannot tell you the number of practitioners who have remarked to me that so many journals are filled with articles that are simply irrelevant to their needs. As a result, they often stop reading the periodicals entirely. Our journal is not of this type, and we have to remain committed that its contents remain relevant and practical. But not only must we strive to make sure our research findings remain relevant, we must also strive for interdisciplinary cooperation in carrying out the research itself. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for individuals of various professions to collaborate only with others in their own discipline. In fact, it has been only in the past 15 or so years that members of different professions have routinely collaborated on research and scholarship. In 1989, psychiatrist Eugene Revitch and I wrote Sex Murder and Sex Aggression. We asked Roy Hazelwood, a member of the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, to write the foreword. His words were prescient:

Book Review: Levin, J. (2008). Serial Killers and Sadistic Murderers: Up Close and Personal. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. 233 pp

Criminologist Jack Levin has spent a lifetime studying extraordinary crimes. His experience goes far beyond a typical academic, familiar only with the research and scholarly publications in the field. He has interviewed offenders, victims, their families and friends; he has testified in court, consulted with attorneys, assisted the police, and is a frequent commentator for many media outlets. And the author is quite open with respect to how his involvement with such offenders has resulted in his being threatened, stalked, and traumatized. Professor Levin has truly been up close and personal with some of the most notorious murderers of the past half century. His latest book, Serial Killers and Sadistic Murderers, is a semiautobiographical review of his rather unique encounters. If the reader is looking for a text filled with analysis and commentary on research studies, or a review of methodological problems found in various scientific publications, this book will be of little interest. If, however, the reader would appreciate an overview of some extraordinary cases, with insights from a serious professional, then this book is highly recommended. Although written primarily for a general audience, criminal justice professionals, forensic mental health professionals as well as police investigators will find Professor Levin’s book well worth the time and modest investment. Many of the cases discussed—like Albert “The Boston Strangler” DeSalvo and Jeffrey “The Cannibal” Dahmer—are household names, others are less well known, but all are interesting and instructive. I found Professor Levin’s discussion of psychopathy particularly noteworthy and a reflection of his maturity as a criminologist. He does not make the mistake, as do so many criminal justice and forensic mental health professionals, of attributing all forms of sadistic behavior and extreme violence to psychopathy. Psychopathy and its role in understanding an offender’s lack of remorse, lack of interpersonal attachments, and their thinking patterns are important. But psychopathy is not, contrary to popular belief, an explanation for all antisocial conduct. Additional high points in the book include chapters on hate crimes—a topic not often covered in books on serial and sadistic killers—as well as reference to team killers and an interesting discussion of threats to kill and their predictive usefulness. The reader should not assume that a discussion of some very well-known cases, like cult leader Charles Manson, is just a rehash of what has already been said. In these instances, Professor Levin provides many new insights, not only into the mind of the offender but also into the thinking of many prison inmates who interact with offenders like Manson on a daily basis. For example, although Manson has some degree of celebrity status—as do many of the individuals discussed in this book—the vast majority of prisoners lead lonely, desperate, and empty lives filled with anger not only toward their infamous fellow inmates but to just about everyone. Professor Levin also describes the impact many murderers— such as New Jersey’s “Ninja Killer” Joseph Harris—have on small communities, often for more than a generation. This book also includes brief references to school shooters, Megan’s Law, false confession cases, and implications for intervention and policy makers as well.