Wade C. Myers

Juvenile and Adult Offenders Arrested for Sexual Homicide: An Analysis of Victim-Offender Relationship and Weapon Used by Race

Abstract:u2002 Limited information is available on racial offending patterns of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs). This study used a 30‐year U.S. Supplementary Homicide Reports sample of SHOs arrested in single‐victim situations (Nu2003=u20033745). The analysis strength was used to determine whether the findings yielded meaningful patterns for offender profiling. Several important findings emerged for the juvenile offenders. Juvenile White SHOs were likely to target victims with whom they shared a mutual relationship. In contrast, Black juveniles were equally likely to murder strangers and those with whom they had prior and familial relationships. Notably, no juvenile Black SHOs were arrested for murdering intimate partners. Juvenile White SHOs were twice as likely to use edged weapons as their Black counterparts. Black juveniles, conversely, were more likely than White juveniles to use personal weapons. Beyond these findings, known victim–offender relationships and weapon used may not have significant utility for investigators in identifying the SHO race, even after controlling for offender age. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Single‐Victim and Serial Sexual Homicide Offenders: Differences in Crime, Paraphilias and Personality Traits

BACKGROUNDnInformation on psychopathological characteristics of sexual homicide offenders is scarce.nnnAIMSnTo investigate criminal, paraphilic and personality trait differences between serial and single-victim sexual homicide offenders.nnnMETHODSnAll 73 single-victim and 13 serial sexual homicide offenders presenting within a cohort of 671 men sentenced for sexual crimes between 1994 and 2005 and serving their sentence in one high-security Canadian prison and who consented to interview were assessed and compared on their offending patterns, personality pathology and paraphilic behaviours.nnnRESULTSnSerial sexual homicide offenders were more likely than the single offenders to report deviant sexual fantasies, having selected victims with distinctive characteristics, to have targeted strangers, structured premeditation and/or verbal humiliation of their victims during the offences. Personality pathology, defined by at least two Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV criteria for personality disorder, was common in both groups, but the serial offenders were more likely to have narcissistic, schizoid and/or obsessive-compulsive traits; they were also more likely to engage in sexual masochism, partialism, homosexual paedophilia, exhibitionism and/or voyeurism.nnnIMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICEnSamples of serial sexual homicide offenders will, fortunately, always be small, and it may be that more could be learned to assist in preventing such crimes if data from several studies or centres were pooled. Our findings suggest that an investigation of sexual homicide offenders should include strategies for evaluating premeditation as well as personality and paraphilic characteristics. Crime scene features that should alert investigators should include similar characteristics between victims and particular aspects of body exposure or organisation.

Female sexual homicide offenders: An analysis of the offender racial profiles in offending process

Despite the recent effort by Chan and Frei in studying female sexual homicide offenders (SHOs), much is still unknown about this underresearched offender population. One largely unexplored area is how female SHOs of different races commit their killings. Using FBI Supplemental Homicide Reports (SHR) data (1976-2007), 105 White and 94 Black female SHOs (N=204) were examined for their differential offending patterns. Most female SHOs, regardless of race, killed victims of the opposite gender (i.e., heterosexual offenses). Most frequently targeted by female SHOs of both races (44% of Whites and 57% of Blacks) were known victims (e.g., friends, acquaintances) who were not intimate partners or family members. Firearms were the most common weapons used by female SHOs (60% of Whites and 48% of Blacks). The second most common weapon type used by Black offenders was an edged weapon (32%), whereas for White offenders it was a personal weapon (17%). Black female SHOs normally perpetrated their offense in large cities (69%), while White female SHOs most often committed their crime in suburban areas (40%). This study underscores importance of considering the offender racial group in female sexual murder investigations. Hence, several implications for offender profiling are offered.

Toward a more holistic understanding of filicide: a multidisciplinary analysis of 32 years of U.S. arrest data.

Filicide is the killing of one or more children by a parent, stepparent, or other parental figure. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of U.S. filicide, drawn from 94,146 filicide arrests tabulated over a 32-year period in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR). Filicides comprised 15% of all murders during this period. Modal victim age was less than one year old. One-third of the victims were under a year old; over two-thirds of the victims were age six or less. Fathers were as likely as mothers to kill infants. The mean age of offenders was 32 years with a mode of 22 years, and nearly three-quarters were aged 18-45. Female offenders were notably younger than their male counterparts. Black (or African American) offenders were significantly overrepresented in filicide compared to Whites. Most common killing methods included using hands and feet, strangulation, beating, asphyxiation, drowning, and defenestration. Stepparents were not at higher risk of filicide than genetic parents, but were twice as likely to kill using firearms. Synthesizing these results with studies from other fields, we propose three transdisciplinary, empirically informed filicide categories primarily defined by effects of (1) psychopathology associated with neurotransmitter disturbances, (2) gender and sex hormones, and (3) evolutionary motives. Approaching filicide using this proposed hypothetical framework for future research may help identify at-risk populations and improve prevention and treatment.

Adolescent Parricide and Psychopathy

Most cases of juvenile parricide are believed to be the result of child abuse, yet the vast majority of abused children do not kill their parental abusers. This study explored the role of psychopathy in 10 adolescent parricide offenders tried in adult court who were referred for pretrial psychiatric evaluation. In addition, psychopathological findings, crime-related behaviors, and judicial outcomes are described. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnoses, most commonly posttraumatic stress disorder, and chronic, severe child abuse were prevalent. Psychopathic traits were not found to have played a role in the traumatized youths’ parricidal behavior. Killings occurred in the family homes, usually through a surprise attack with parent-owned firearms. There was an average of 1.7 victims per event, with fathers being the most likely victim. Bodies were commonly covered or wrapped and moved postmortem. Confessions were often incredible in quality. One half received sentences of 40+ years, and the modal sanction was a life sentence, despite 90% premorbidly described as good youth. Further studies of adolescent parricide are needed to better understand this unusual population.

Sexual homicide in the USA committed by juveniles and adults, 1976–2007: Age of arrest and incidence trends over 32 years

BACKGROUNDnReliable epidemiological data on sexual homicide are sparse, especially on trends in its incidence over time and age at arrest.nnnAIMSnOur main aims were to study age at arrest and incidence trends for sexual homicide in the USA over about three decades (1976-2007).nnnMETHODSnWe conducted longitudinal analyses of data from the largest USA homicide database available for the years 1976-2007.nnnRESULTSnThe mean age at arrest for a sexual homicide was 26.3 years (range 7-76; modal 21 years). Three quarters of these offenders were young adults aged 18-35. Age at probable first arrest for a sexual homicide rose significantly from a mean of 25 to a mean of 29 years over the study period. The last decade of the three studied accounted for just one quarter of the homicides as charged in the whole period, but the proportion of sexual homicides specifically fell with each decade, so that the first period accounted for 56% of those in the whole period, the second for 33% and the final decade for just 11%. This was reflected in a reduction in the proportion of all homicides that were sexual, from 1.4% in the first decade to 0.8% in the second and 0.4% in the third, declining by a factor of five for adults and seven for juveniles.nnnCONCLUSIONSnUse of official national criminal statistics has limitations in studying the epidemiology of any particular behaviour. Nonetheless, our findings of falling sexual homicide rates and of changes in at least one important demographic of these killers indicate a need for a considered reappraisal of such crimes. Establishment of accurate epidemiology and a study of associated factors may assist in the improvement of investigative and preventive strategies.

Prevalence and Assessment of Malingering in Homicide Defendants Using the Mini- Mental State Examination and the Rey 15-Item Memory Test

This study surveyed malingering prevalence in pretrial homicide defendants and assessed the usefulness of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Rey 15-Item Memory Test (FIT) in detecting malingering among them. Malingering prevalence was 17%. MMSE and FIT scores were positively correlated. The MMSE and FIT had modest positive predictive value (67% and 43%), but reasonably good negative predictive value (93% and 89%), for malingering. Overall, the MMSE outperformed the FIT, with no advantage to combined use of the MMSE and FIT over the MMSE. The widely used MMSE, traditionally a bedside test of cognition, may have a role in malingering assessment.

Sexual Homicide by Older Male Offenders

Recent research has expanded our understanding of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs). However, little exists beyond case reports for older SHOs. We characterized male SHOs ≥ 55 years, comparing them to typical adult male SHOs who are in their 20s. Analysis of 37 years (1976–2012) of US Supplementary Homicide Reports data provided a large SHO sample (N = 3453). Three case reports provide clinical context for the diverse nature and patterns of older SHOs. Only 32 older male SHOs and no older female SHOs were identified. Murders by older SHOs accounted for only 0.5% of US sexual homicides. Unlike typical SHOs that generally target young adult females, over two‐thirds of older SHO victims were ≥40 years, and one‐third were ≥55 years. Sexual homicides by older SHOs, like sexual homicide in general, decreased over the study period. These crimes, while exceedingly rare, do occur, warranting special consideration.

Frequency and Detection of Malingering in Homicide Defendants Undergoing Criminal Responsibility Evaluations Using the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality

This retrospective study reports on (a) the prevalence of malingering in a sample of 20 homicide defendants seen in jail settings for criminal responsibility evaluations, and (b) the feasibility of the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP) for malingering detection in this sample. Based on previous non-clinical simulation research, it was hypothesized that the SNAP validity scales would predict group membership for homicide defendants malingering psychopathology. Those with intellectual disabilities or psychotic disorders were excluded. Diagnostically, nearly one half of the sample had Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR) personality and substance use disorders. Point prevalence of malingering was 30%. Using the criterion of any SNAP validity scale score in the clinical range (T ≥ 65), a reasonable sensitivity was demonstrated in the detection of malingering (83%), yet this outcome was hindered by a high false positive rate (64%). This study suggests further exploration of the SNAP for assessing malingering in forensic populations is warranted.

Corrigendum to "Toward a more holistic understanding of filicide: A multidisciplinary analysis of 32 years of U.S. arrest data" [Forensic Sci. Int. 236 (2014) 46-53].

The study analyzed 15,961 filicide arrests comprising 2.5% of all murders during the study period. Materials and methods 15,961 (2.5%) of cases were classified as filicides.