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01-07-2017 | Original Article

Youthful Familicidal Offenders: Targeted Victims, Planned Attacks

Authors: Rosa Viñas-Racionero, Louis B. Schlesinger, Mario J. Scalora, John P. Jarvis

Published in: Journal of Family Violence | Issue 5/2017

Abstract

A nonrandom national sample of 16 familicides, which involved 19 offenders (ages 14 to 21 years) who either killed or made a serious attempt to kill their families, was studied. The majority of offenders were Caucasian (78.91 %) males (84.21 %) with interpersonal family conflicts due to parental control, substance use, or physical violence. Prior to the murders, 50 % of the offenders reported to others their intent to kill their families. All of the 42 reported victims were specifically targeted and most of the homicides were planned shooting attacks (75 %) rather than spontaneous eruptions. Immediately following the homicides, 75 % of the offenders stole money from their families, and in 50 % of the cases they either called their friends to report the murders or to plan leisure activities. All offenders were immediate suspects and 81.25 % confessed to the homicides. Implications for furthering our understanding of this group of young offenders are offered.

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Title: Youthful Familicidal Offenders: Targeted Victims, Planned Attacks
Authors: Rosa Viñas-Racionero
Louis B. Schlesinger
Mario J. Scalora
John P. Jarvis
Publication date: 01-07-2017
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Family Violence / Issue 5/2017
Print ISSN: 0885-7482
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9836-9

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Youthful Familicidal Offenders: Targeted Victims, Planned Attacks

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