Child Victims of HomicideCambridge University Press, 2001 M07 2 - 187 pages "Children account for 10-20 per cent of all homicide victims in Australia, the United Kingdom, and North America. The most vulnerable time has been found to be the first year of life and, in particular, the first day of life. Unlike other forms of homicide where men are by far the most likely perpetrators, studies show that women are just as likely as men to commit child homicide. Using these findings, Alder and Polk arrange their investigations along the dual lines of gender and position inside or outside of the family. They ask who are the most likely killers of infants - mothers or fathers? Who are the most likely killers of adolescents - family or outsiders? They also consider patterns in suicide-homicides. In considering the implications of their findings for theoretical understandings of child homicide, they point out that context interacts significantly with the structures, understandings and experiences of gender, parenthood and childhood. This study draws on Australian case studies and includes comparative statistics from the United Kingdom and North America. It will be useful to a wide interdisciplinary readership of scholars and students."--BOOK JACKET. |
Contents
Overview | 1 |
Approaching Child Homicide | 15 |
Neonaticide | 31 |
Mothers Who Kill Their Children | 46 |
Male Family Members Who Kill Children | 68 |
Killing Outside the Family | 89 |
Observations about Child Homicide | 116 |
Towards a Theoretical Analysis of Child Homicide | 147 |
172 | |
182 | |
Common terms and phrases
actions adult analysis attempted Australia autopsy baby behaviour biological fathers birth boys chapter child abuse child homicide child victims child-carers childhood circumstances committed Coroner crime Criminology Daly and Wilson daughter death Elton emotional evidence example familicide fatal assaults female filicide-suicides form of child friends gender girls Greg homicide victims honour contest husband infant infanticide injuries involved Jamie Bulger kill children kill their children killer lethal violence lives male partner masculinity maternal filicide mother kills Munchausen syndrome murder murder-suicide narratives neonaticide newborn observed offender older parents perpetrators police Polk postnatal depression pregnancy present psychiatric relationship reported Resnick responsible result risk of homicide scenarios serial killer sexual Sheila Keith significant Silverman and Kennedy situation step-parents Strand Shopping Centre street gang suicide teenage threat understandings United Kingdom Unnithan victimisation victims of homicide wife Wilczynski woman women who kill women's violence