Chapter 1 THE LURE AND THE LAW OF HOMICIDE 1
Fascination with Murder 1
Selling Evil 3
Homicide Law 4
Murder 6
Manslaughter 8
Defenses to Criminal Homicide 11
Homicide Law in Practice 15
Endnotes 17
Chapter 2 EXPLAINING THE WILL TO KILL 18
The Devil Made Me Do It 19
Back to the Classics 20
Using Science to Explain Violence 21
Biology Then and Now 22
Psychological Causes of Violence 26
The Social Sources of Murder 31
Strain, Frustration, and Murder 33
Cultural Deviance 35
Learning to Kill 35
Self-Control, Social Control, and Murder 37
A Word of Caution About Cause 38
Endnotes 41
Chapter 3 THE KILLERS AND THEIR VICTIMS 44
Race Differences 48
Gender Differences 51
Age Differences 54
Differences by Location 58
The Role of Firearms 64
Changing Patterns of Homicide 66
Breaking the Mold 67
Endnotes 68
Chapter 4 INTIMATE AND FAMILY MURDER 69
Killing for Profit and Practicality 69
Obsession and Jealousy 71
Power, Control, and Abuse 72
Family Annihilation 77
Parricide 77
Filicide 79
Infanticide 81
Motherhood by Proxy 86
Killing for Love? 87
Murder-Suicide 88
Prevention and Response 89
Endnotes 91
Chapter 5 THE YOUNG AND THE RUTHLESS 93
An "Epidemic" of Youth Homicide 93
Explaining the 1990s Decline 99
Principles of Prevention 103
Dial M for Media 104
Justice for Juveniles 108
Looking Ahead 112
Endnotes 113
Chapter 6 WELL-SCHOOLED IN MURDER 115
The Risk of School Homicide 117
Copycat Shootings 120
Adult School Shooters 121
Explaining School Massacres 122
Blaming Parents 124
Fear Factor 126
Responses to School Shootings 127
Healthy and Safe Schools 131
Combating School Bullying 132
On to College 133
Endnotes 135
Chapter 7 SERIAL KILLERS 137
A Profile of Serial Killers 141
The Murdering Mind 148
Childhood Origins 152
Victim Selection 155
Endnotes 156
Chapter 8 MEDICAL MURDER 157
Counting Medical Murders 158
Motives and Types of Medical Murderers 161
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy 167
Administrative Facilitators 170
Prevention and Intervention 171
Endnotes 174
Chapter 9 RAMPAGE 175
Methodical and Selective 175
Losses and Frustrations 180
Profile of the Workplace Avenger 182
Murderous Customers and Clients 188
Endnotes 190
Chapter 10 HATE HOMICIDES 191
Characteristics of Hate Homicide 191
Types of Hate Homicide 194
Organized Hate Groups 198
The Role of the Military 200
Current State of Hate Crime Laws 201
Endnotes 202
Chapter 11 MURDEROUS TERROR 203
Hate Homicide and Domestic Terrorism 203
International Terrorism 204
Homegrown Terrorism 205
Prison as a Terrorist Recruiting Center 208
American Muslims and Domestic Terrorism 208
Left-Wing Vs. Right-Wing Terrorists 209
Single-Issue Terrorism 212
The Impact of Murderous Terror 213
Endnotes 214
Chapter 12 CULT KILLINGS 216
Dangerous Cults 216
The Appeal of Cults 218
Charismatic Leaders and Their Followers 219
Needs Fulfilled by Cults 222
Normal People in Abnormal Situations 224
Suicide or Homicide? 226
Endnotes 228
Chapter 13 CATCHING KILLERS 229
Science of the Lambs 229
Clearance Rates 235
ViCAP and Profiling 239
Sightings and Visions 244
Working a Homicide in the Media Spotlight 245
Endnotes 248
Chapter 14 GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, OR NOT 249
The Insanity Defense 249
Capital Punishment 255
Punishing Juvenile Murderers 263
Epidemic Thinking and Overresponse 266
Endnotes 268
Index 269