Will to Kill, The: Making Sense of Senseless Murder, 2/E
James Alan Fox, Northeastern University
Jack A. Levin, Northeastern University
Kenna D Quinet, Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis

ISBN-10: 0205418805
ISBN-13: 9780205418800

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
Copyright: 2005
Format: Paper; 240 pp
Status: Out of Print

Suggested retail price: $34.40
This item is out of print and is no longer available for purchase.



Written by world renowned experts, this supplemental text employs the general notion of power and control as a central and unifying thesis for understanding why people kill.

This brief yet comprehensive and student-friendly book presents a classification of homicide theories, examining “the will to kill” from various perspectives.

  • Authors are world-renowned experts on the subject of homicide.
  • Each chapter explores different sub-types of homicide and the circumstances in which people kill each other.
  • Concentrates on the extraordinary and seemingly inexplicable cases with the belief that the lessons learned from examining senseless and outrageous murders can be extrapolated to more ordinary homicides as well.
  • Case studies in each chapter use recent, well-known examples that are relevant to public policy. The authors discuss how politicians use high profile cases to change the criminal law or to secure funding for programs and policies to reduce violence, and how these high profile cases shape public opinion about homicide.
  • Reviews homicide laws, presents statistical data depicting patterns and trends in homicide, and introduces theories purporting to explain why murder occurs.
  • Covers a broad range of topics from domestic and workplace homicide to cult and hate killings, from murder committed by juveniles to serial slayings.
  • Examines criminal justice responses to homicide, including the strategies and tactics employed to apprehend, prosecute, and punish killers.

  • A third scholar, Kenna Quinet, joins the author team, broadening the perspective and bringing expertise in female and medical murderers.
  • The discussion of theories in Chapter 2, “Explaining Murder,” has been significantly revised and expanded.
  • New Chapter 8, “Medical Murder,” on homicides committed within health care settings gives much-needed attention to this increasingly publicized issue.
  • New Chapter 11, “Murderous Terror,” includes the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, and discusses issues of homegrown forms of terrorism.
  • New Chapter 13, “Catching Killers,” reviews a wide variety of investigative approaches especially DNA testing and behavioral profiling.



Preface.


About the Authors.


1. The Lure and the Law of Homicide.

Fascination with Murder.

Homicide Law.

Murder.

Manslaughter.

Defenses to Criminal Homicide.

Homicide Law in Practice.



2. Explaining Murder.

The Devil Made Me Do It.

Back to the Classics.

Using Science to Explain Violence.

Biology Then and Now.

Psychological Causes of Violence.

The Social Sources of Murder.

Strain, Frustration, and Murder.

Cultural Deviance.

Learning to Kill.

Self-Control, Social Control, and Murder.

A Word of Caution about Cause.



3. The Killers and Their Victims.

Race Differences.

Gender Differences.

Age Differences.

Differences by Location.



4. Intimate and Family Murder.

Killing for Profit.

Obsession and Jealousy.

Power, Control, and Abuse.

Family Annihilation.

Infanticide.

Killing for Love?



5. The Coming and Going of the Young Superpredators.

The Epidemic of Youth Homicide.

Explaining the 1990s Decline.

Selling Evil.

Looking Ahead.



6. Well-Schooled in Murder.

Blaming Parents.

Copycat Shootings.

Explaining School Massacres.

Responses to School Shootings.

Healthy and Safe Schools.



7. Serial Killers.

A Profile of Serial Killers.

The Murdering Mind.

Childhood Origins.



8. Medical Murder.

Counting Medical Murders.

Motives and Types of Medical Murderers.

Administrative Facilitators.

Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy.

Prevention and Interventions.



9. Rampage.

Methodical and Selective.

Losses and Frustrations.

Profile of the Workplace Avenger.

Murderous Customers and Clients.



10. Hate Homicide.

Characteristics of Hate Murders.

Types of Hate Murders.

Organized Hate Groups.

Hate Crime Laws.



11. Murderous Terror.

Hate Homicide and Terrorism.

International Terrorism.

Homegrown Terrorism.

Left-Wing vs. Right-Wing Terrorists.

The Impact of Murderous Terror.



12. Cult Killings.

Dangerous Cults.

The Appeal of Cults.

Charismatic Leaders and Their Followers.

Needs Filled by Cults.

Normal People in Abnormal Situations.

Suicide or Homicide?



13. Catching Killers

“The Silence of the Lambs.”

Clearance Rates.

VICAP and Profiling.

Sightings and Visions.

Working a Homicide in the Media Spotlight.



14. Getting Away with Murder, Or Not.

The Insanity Defense.

Justice for Juveniles.

Capital Punishment.

Epidemic Thinking and Over-Response.



Suggested Readings.


Appendix: A Note About Data Sources.


Index.

    This best selling homicide text examines “the will to kill” from various perspectives.

     

    Written by world-renowned experts, this text presents an analysis of the nature and extent of homicide and the laws that apply to it. Included are detailed analyses of many different types of homicide, including those that involve:  family, youth, serial killing, mass murder, school, hate, terror and cults.  Public policy issues such as the insanity defense, the death penalty and investigative strategies are also covered.

  • 0205516718The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder, 3/E
    Fox, Levin & Quinet
    © 2008 | Allyn & Bacon | Paper; 288 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0205516718 | ISBN-13: 9780205516711
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

World-renowned experts Fox, Levin, and Quinet explore the general theory of power and control as a central and unifying thesis for understanding why people kill.

Each chapter explores a different sub-type of homicide and the circumstances in which people kill each other. Case studies in each chapter use recent well-known examples that are relevant to public policy. The authors discuss how politicians use high-profile cases to change the criminal law or to secure funding for programs and policies to reduce violence, and how these high-profile cases shape public opinion about homicide.

The Will to Kill, Second Edition, includes three new chapters:

  • Chapter 8, “Medical Murder,” examines homicides committed within health care settings.
  • Chapter 11, “Murderous Terror,” includes the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 and discusses issues of homegrown forms of terrorism.
  • Chapter 13, “Catching Killers,” reviews a wide variety of investigative approaches, especially DNA testing and behavioral profiling.

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

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