Year: 2009 Source: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, v.53, no.5, (October 2009), p.497-516 SIEC No: 20090765

This study examines homicides followed by a suicide attempt by the perpetrator. The authors examine to what extent these events can be understood as being primarily an expresson of homicidal or suicidal behaviour. In total, 77 homicide-parasuicides are compared to 430 homicides & 161 parasuicides. Results show homicide-parasuicides constitute a different category of lethal violence with regard to demographics, individual, & event-related characteristics. Subanalyses of homicide-parasuicides involving women & children show similar differences. The finding that a large majority of perpetrators were mentally ill, dependent on the victim, & killed when faced with separation from the victim may suggest that increased monitoring of this group might have preventive value. (67 refs)