Death by Domestic Violence

KATHERINE VAN WORMER is Professor of Social Work at the University of Northern Iowa. She is a member of the Editorial Board for several scholarly journals, including Victims and Offenders, Families in Society and the Journal of Comparative Social Welfare. Van Wormer has authored or co-authored 13 earlier books.The late Albert R. Roberts was a widely known Professor of Social Work and Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. Also Series Editor for the Praeger series, Social and Psychologial Problems and Solutions, he was Founding and acting Editor-in-Chief of the journal Brief Treatments and Crisis Intervention, as well as Victims and Offenders. He authored or edited 32 earlier books.

• Preface1. Women and Families at Risk: An Overview2. Risk Factors for Domestic Homicide3. The Dynamics of Murder-Suicide in Domestic Situations4. The Role of Alcohol and Other Drugs in Domestic HomicideKatherine van Wormer, Alissa Mallow, and Kelly Ward5. Issues of Power and Control in the Death of a Loved OneKelly Ward and Carolyn Bradley6. Portraits of Life in the Aftermath of Domestic HomicideMarilyn Armour7. Domestic Homicide WorldwideKatherine van Wormer and Woochan Shim8. Response of the U.S. Criminal Justice System9. Personal Narratives of Women in Prison for Partner Homicide10. Safety Plans for the Prevention of Intimate Homicide11. Work with Dangerous Battering Men

Van Wormer (social work, Univ. of Northern Iowa) and Roberts (social work and criminal justice, Rutgers) have written a compelling, comprehensive, insightful, and eye-opening book about the number one killer of women throughout the world: their intimate partners. The reader walks away with an empirically supported understanding of domestic violence offenders and their victims. In addition, the authors have developed an excellent critique of the most widely accepted treatment models, offering readers a comprehensive overview not typically found in a single writing. This reviewer has worked in the field of domestic violence for 30 years and still learned new information from this book. A must read for health care providers, educators, law enforcement professionals, and clergy--essentially anyone who works with women of virtually any age. Whole-heartedly recommended. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above.