Understanding Parricide

Kathleen M. Heide, Ph.D., is Professor of Criminology at the University of South Florida, Tampa. Dr. Heide, a licensed mental health professional, is an internationally-recognized consultant on adolescent homicide and family violence and a court-appointed expert in matters relating to homicide, children, and families.

• PART I CLINICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES ; 1. The Phenomenon of Parricide ; 2. Child Maltreatment and Parricide ; 3. Parricide: Basic Facts and Literature ; 4. Matricide: Basic Facts and Literature ; 5. Patricide: Basic Facts and Literature ; 6. Prosecuting and Punishing Parricide Offenders ; 7. Defending Parricide Offenders ; PART II CASE STUDIES ; 8. Assessment of Parricide Offenders ; 9. Patty Smith - "No Way Out but Murder" ; 10. Peter Jones - "Repeating the Past" ; 11. James Holt - "The Making of a Murderer" ; 12. Daniel Culbreath - "Fantasy Becomes Reality" ; 13. Ben Simpson - "An Over-Indulged Child" ; PART III SOCIETY'S RESPONSE ; 14. Treating Parricide Offenders ; 15. Follow-Up Studies of Parricide Offenders ; 16. Risk Assessment and Prevention ; Notes ; References ; About the Author ; Index

Understanding Parricide provides a comprehensive and compelling treatment of this complex subject that could become the standard reference in the field. Nothing is lacking in its coverage and presentation of research conclusions about an array of topics, including child maltreatment, matricide, patricide, legal issues in defending, prosecuting, and punishing offenders, forensic assessment, treatment, risk assessment, and prevention. The reader will become acutely aware of the family, societal, and legal circumstances of parricide offenders. Special attention is given to the involvement of females in various types of parricides.