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Thesis on a Homicide

Roberto Bermudez, a specialist in criminal law, is convinced that one of his students committed a brutal murder. It leads him to start an investigation that becomes his obsession. Roberto Bermudez, a specialist in criminal law, is convinced that one of his students committed a brutal murder. It leads him to start an investigation that becomes his obsession. Roberto Bermudez, a specialist in criminal law, is convinced that one of his students committed a brutal murder. It leads him to start an investigation that becomes his obsession.

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9.1 Homicide

Learning objectives.

• Define homicide.
• Recognize that all homicides are not criminal.
• Identify the corpus delicti components in a criminal homicide.
• Compare the definition of fetus in criminal homicide and feticide statutes.
• Compare common-law feticide and suicide with modern views.
• Ascertain whether it is constitutional to criminalize assisted suicide.

In this section, you learn the definition of homicide and the meaning of human being , which vary from state to state. You also learn that suicide is not criminal, but assisted suicide might be, depending on the jurisdiction.

Synopsis of the History of Homicide

Homicide is the killing of one human being by another. Homicide is not always criminal. For example, a lawful execution pursuant to the death penalty is homicide , but it is not criminal homicide.

Homicide law in the United States has its origins in the English common law. Oxford professor Sir William Blackstone defined homicide as justifiable, excusable, or felonious. Justifiable homicides were not criminal because they did not include the concept of guilt. Excusable homicides were not criminal because they included minimal guilt. Felonious homicides were criminal and were considered the most heinous offenses known to man.

Initially at common law, every felonious or criminal homicide was punished by death. Gradually, as the law evolved, unlawful killings were divided into murder and manslaughter based on the defendant’s criminal intent . Murder had the criminal intent element of malice aforethought and remained a capital offense. Manslaughter was an unlawful killing without malice and was punished by incarceration.

In modern times, most states define criminal homicide and its elements in statutes , which often are interpreted by case law. Many jurisdictions continue to follow Blackstone’s philosophy and the common-law division between murder and manslaughter, as is discussed in this chapter.

Corpus Delicti in Criminal Homicide

An essential component of every criminal case, including criminal homicide, is corpus delicti . Corpus delicti is the substance of the crime at issue. The prosecution must prove corpus delicti beyond a reasonable doubt, with evidence other than a defendant’s confession (People v. Ochoa, 2011). Although a detailed discussion of corpus delicti is beyond the scope of this text, corpus delicti in a criminal homicide case consists of the death of a victim, caused by the defendant, in an unlawful manner.

Often the victim’s body is never discovered, which could make it more difficult for the prosecution to prove corpus delicti but not impossible. If there is sufficient circumstantial or direct evidence, such as bloodstains, surveillance footage, or witness testimony, the prosecution can prove corpus delicti without the victim’s body and can convict the defendant of criminal homicide.

Feticide is the intentional destruction of a fetus. At common law, a human being could not be the victim of criminal homicide unless it was born alive (Keeler v. Superior Court, 2010). The Model Penal Code takes this approach and defines human being as “a person who has been born and is alive” (Model Penal Code § 210.0 (1)). The modern trend in many jurisdictions is to include the fetus as a victim in a criminal homicide or feticide statute, excepting abortion . The definition of fetus is either set forth in the criminal homicide or feticide statute or created by case law. Many states and the federal government consider an embryo a fetus from the time of conception (Ala. Code, 2010). Other states determine that a fetus is formed when the child has “quickened,” or is able to move within the womb—about four to five months after conception (Fla. Stat., 2010). A few states do not consider the fetus a victim of criminal homicide or feticide until it is viable and can survive outside the womb (Ind. Code, 2010).

Figure 9.1 Crack the Code

At common law, suicide was a crime. The punishment was forfeiture of the lands owned by the deceased. In modern times, most states do not criminalize suicide. However, almost all jurisdictions make it a crime to assist a suicide, and the US Supreme Court has held these statutes constitutional (Washington v. Glucksberg, 2010). Several states have special statutes that specifically punish assisted suicide less severely than their first- or second-degree murder statutes (Tex. Penal Code, 2010). A minority of states allow terminally ill patients to end their lives with the assistance of a physician (Or. Rev. Stat., 2010). The Model Penal Code provides that “[a] person who purposely aids or solicits another to commit suicide is guilty of a felony of the second degree if his conduct causes such suicide or an attempted suicide” (Model Penal Code § 210.5(2)).

Key Takeaways

• Homicide is the killing of one human being by another.
• Homicide is not always criminal. For example, a lawful execution pursuant to the death penalty is homicide, but it is not criminal homicide.
• The corpus delicti components in a criminal homicide are the death of the victim, caused by the defendant, in an unlawful manner.
• States that criminalize feticide consider an embryo a fetus at the moment of conception, when it quickens in the womb, or when it is viable and can survive outside the womb.

In modern times, in many jurisdictions feticide is a crime (excepting abortion), and suicide is not. At common law, the following applied:

• Feticide was not a crime; only a person “born alive” could be the victim of criminal homicide.
• Suicide was a crime; the punishment was forfeiture of the deceased’s lands.
• The US Supreme Court has held that it is constitutional to criminalize assisted suicide, and most states do. A minority of states allow a physician to legally end the life of a terminally ill patient.

Answer the following questions. Check your answers using the answer key at the end of the chapter.

• What is the fundamental difference between homicide and suicide?
• Read Washington v. Glucksberg , 521 U.S. 702 (1997). Which part of the Constitution did the US Supreme Court analyze when it held that it is constitutional to criminalize assisted suicide? The case is available at this link: http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17920279791882194984&q= Washington+v.+Glucksberg&hl=en&as_sdt=2,5 .

Ala. Code § 13A-6-1, accessed February 13, 2010, http://www.legislature.state.al.us/codeofalabama/1975/13A-6-1.htm .

Fla. Stat. § 782.09, accessed July 10, 2010, http://www.lawserver.com/law/state/florida/statutes/florida_statutes_782-09 .

Ind. Code §35-42-1-1(4), accessed July 10, 2010, http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title35/ar42/ch1.html .

Keeler v. Superior Court , 2 Cal.3d 619 (1970), accessed July 10, 2010, http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2140632244672927312&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr .

Or. Rev. Stat. § 127.800 et seq., accessed July 10, 2010, http://law.onecle.com/oregon/127-powers-of-attorney-advance-directives/index.html .

People v. Ochoa , 966 P.2d 442 (1998), accessed February 13, 2011, http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13299597995178567741&q= corpus+delicti+criminal+homicide&hl=en&as_sdt=2,5 .

Tex. Penal Code § 22.08, accessed July 10, 2010, http://law.onecle.com/texas/penal/22.08.00.html .

Washington v. Glucksberg , 521 U.S. 702 (1997), accessed July 10, 2010, http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17920279791882194984&q= Washington+v.+Glucksberg&hl=en&as_sdt=2,5 .

Criminal Law Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Behavioral and Community Sciences > Criminology > Theses and Dissertations

Criminology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Efficacy of Online Social Movements for Sparking Change: The Case of the Missing Murdered and Indigenous Women Movement (#MMIW) , Kacy A. Bleeker

An Examination of Racial Disparities in Arrest Across Florida Counties, 1998-2018: A Test of the Racial Threat and Political Representation Hypotheses , Xavier D. Burch

The Invisible Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Boys and Their Barriers to Access to Services , Amanda L. Connella

Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation and the Vexatious Litigant Statute in Florida Courts , Sarah L. Harper

The Contributions of Mental Health Issues, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Adverse Childhood Experiences to Recidivism Among Rural Jail Incarcerees , Lauren N. Miley

Assessing the Relationship Between True Crime Documentary and Podcast Consumption, Fear of Crime, and Protective Behaviors , Lauren A. Tremblay

Police Officers’ Perceptions of Gunshot Detection Technology , Courtney L. Weber

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Macro Social Examination of the Relationship Between Disabilities and Crime Using Neighborhood and County Level Data , Natasha A. Baloch

Racial Differences in Perceptions of Sanction Severity , Sarah L. Franklin

Juvenile Homicide Offenders: A Life-Course Perspective , Norair Khachatryan

Exploring the Effectiveness of a Life-Skills Program in a Florida Prison Through a Social Bond and General Strain Theory Perspective , Danielle M. Thomas

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Clean Water for All: Examining Safe Drinking Water Act Violations of Water Systems and Community Characteristics , Junghwan Bae

Morality and Offender Decision-Making: Testing the Empirical Relationship and Examining Methodological Implications , Jacquelyn Burckley

The Ring of Gyges 2.0: How Anonymity Providing Behaviors Affect Willingness to Participate in Online Deviance , Cassandra E. Dodge

A Macro Analysis of Illegal Hunting and Fishing Across Texas Counties: Using an Economic Structural Approach , Leo J. Genco Jr.

Self-Protection in Cyberspace: Assessing the Processual Relationship Between Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making, Protection Motivation Theory, Cyber Hygiene, and Victimization , C. Jordan Howell

Racial Threat Theory: A Test of the Economic Threat Hypothesis , Carl L. Reeds

Online Perceptions of Panamanian Prisons and Incarcerated persons: An analysis of YouTube user comments , Mahaleth J. Sotelo

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Toxic Colonialism and Green Victimization of Native Americans: An Examination of the Genocidal Impacts of Uranium Mining , Averi R. Fegadel

Cross-National Incarceration Rates as Behavior of Law , Christopher J. Marier

The Effects of Perceived Motivations and Mental Distress on the Likelihood of Reporting and Engaging in Self-Protective Measures Among Victims of Stalking , Daniela Oramas Mora

Mental Health and In-Prison Experiences: Examining Socioeconomic and Sex Differences in the Effect of Mental Illness on Institutional Misconduct and Disciplinary Segregation , Rachel E. Severson

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Dating Application Facilitated Victimization: An Examination of Lifestyle-Routine Activities, Self-Control, and Self-Efficacy , Vanessa Centelles

Social Constructionism and Cultivation Theory in Development of the Juvenile “Super-Predator” , Elizabeth R. Jackson-Cruz

Bystander Intervention, Victimization, and Routine Activities Theory: An Examination of Feminist Routine Activities Theory in Cyber Space , Jennifer A. Leili

Sexual Assault and Robbery Disclosure: An Examination of Black’s Theory of the Behavior of Law , Caitlyn N. Muniz

Mass Shootings and Gun Sales: A Study on the Influence of Red and Blue Power , Maria Jose Rozo Osuna

A Multi-dimensional Macrolevel Study of Drug Enforcement Strategies, Heroin Prices, and Heroin Consumption Rates , Alexander G. Toth

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Impact of a Religious/Spiritual Turning Point on Desistance: A Lifecourse Assessment of Racial/Ethnic Differences , Rhissa Briones Robinson

Political Decisions on Police Expenditures: Examining the Potential Relationship Between Political Structure, Police Expenditures and the Volume of Crime Across US States , Xavier D. Burch

Identifying the Personal and Perceived Organizational Characteristics Associated with Job Satisfaction Among Juvenile Probation Staff , Julie M. Krupa

The Role of Organizational Justice in Predicting Attitudes Toward Body-Worn Cameras in Police Officers , Nathaniel L. Lawshe

Yet Another Ferguson Effect: An Exploratory Content Analysis of News Stories on Police Brutality and Deadly Force Before and After the Killing of Michael Brown , Carl Root

The Role of Race/Ethnicity and Risk Assessment on Juvenile Case Outcomes , Tayler N. Shreve

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Intimate Partner Violence and the Capacity and Desire for Self-Control , Krista Taralynne Brewer

School Shootings in the United States from 1997 to 2012: A Content Analysis of Media Coverage , Victoria N. Iannuzzi

Chronic Runaway Youth: A Gender-Based Analysis , Michelle N. Jeanis

A Test of Wikström’s Situational Action Theory Using Self-Report Data on Intimate Partner Violence , Lauren Nicole Miley

An Exploratory Study of Macro-Social Correlates of Online Property Crime , Hyojong Song

Female Incarceration and Prison Social Order: An Examination of Gender Differences in Prison Misconduct and In-Prison Punishments , Elisa L. Toman

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Role as Mitigators for Youthful and Non-Youthful Offenders in Capital Sentencing Cases , Jessica R. Trapassi

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Disinhibition, Violence Exposure, and Delinquency: A Test of How Self-Control Affects the Impact of Exposure to Violence , Wyatt Brown

The Guilty But Mentally Ill Verdict: Assessing the Impact of Informing Jurors of Verdict Consequences , Erin Elizabeth Cotrone

The Relationship between Psychopathic Personality Traits and Lying , Jason A. Dobrow

Delving into the Heart of Victimization Risk: Examining the Interactive Relationship between Demographic Factors and Context , Amy Sheena Eggers

A Power Conflict Approach to Animal Cruelty: Examining How Economic Power Influences the Creation of Animal Cruelty Laws , Leonard J. Genco

The Role of Gender in Self-Control and Intimate Partner Violence , Laura Marie Gulledge

The Restrictive Deterrent Effect of Warning Banners in a Compromised Computer System , Christian Jordan-Michael Howell

Tactics of Sexual Control and Negative Health Outcomes , Anna Elizabeth Kleppe

The Applicability of Criminology to Terrorism Studies: An Exploratory Study of ISIS Supporters in the United States , Amanda Marie Sharp Parker

The Path to Violent Behavior: The Harmful Aftermath of Childhood Trauma , Nicholas Michael Perez

The Effects of Racial Bias on Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Scenarios , Batya Yisraela Rubenstein

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Reel or Reality? The Portrayal of Prostitution in Major Motion Pictures , Raleigh Blasdell

Psychopathy and Perception of Vulnerability , Barbara Joyce Dinkins

Effect of Empathy on Death Penalty Support in Relation to the Racial Divide and Gender Gap , Brian Godcharles

Exploring the Interactive Effects of Social Learning Theory and Psychopathy on Serious Juvenile Delinquency , Brandy Barenna Henderson

Tampa Electric Company's Big Bend Utility Plant in Hillsborough County, Florida: A Case Study , Lynne M. Hodalski-Champagne

Thirty Year Follow-Up of Juvenile Homicide Offenders , Norair Khachatryan

Organized Crime in Insurance Fraud: An Empirical Analysis of Staged Automobile Accident Rings , Chris Longino

The Role of Social Support in the Disclosure and Recovery Process of Rape Victims , Jessica Nicole Mitchell

Evaluating the Social Control of Banking Crimes: An Examination of Anti-Money Laundering Deficiencies and Industry Success , Erin M. Mulligan

Elite Deviance, Organized Crime, and Homicide: A Cross-National Quantitative Analysis , Carol L.s. Trent

An Evaluation of the Utah First District Mental Health Court: Gauging the Efficacy of Diverting Offenders Suffering With Serious Mental Illness , Stephen Guy VanGeem

Rape, Race, and Capital Punishment in North Carolina: A Qualitative Approach to Examining an Enduring Cultural Legacy , Douglas Wholl

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

The Tattoo: A Mark of Subversion, Deviance, or Mainstream Self-Expression? , Jocelyn Camacho

Juvenile and Adult Involvement in Double Parricide and Familicide in the U.S.: An Empirical Analysis of 20 Years of Data , Averi Rebekah Fegadel

Predicting Successful Drug Court Graduation: Exploring Demographic and Psychosocial Factors among Medication-Assisted Drug Court Treatment Clients , Autumn Michelle Frei

Experimentally Evaluating Statistical Patterns of Offending Typology For Burglary: A Replication Study , Lance Edwin Gilmore

Developmental Trajectories of Physical Aggression and Nonaggressive Rule-Breaking among At-risk Males and Females during Late Childhood and Early Adolescence , Eugena Givens

Predicting Fear of Crime using a Multilevel and Multi-Model Approach: A Study in Hillsborough County , Jonathan Maskaly

Public Knowledge and Sentiments about Elite Deviance , Cedric Michel

The Influence of Community Context on Social Control: A Multi-Level Examination of the Relationship between Race/Ethnicity, Drug Offending, and Juvenile Court Outcomes , Jennifer Peck

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Assessing the Relationship Between Hotspots of Lead and Hotspots of Crime , Kimberly L. Barrett

A Life-Course Approach to Sexual Offending: Examining the Continuity of Juvenile Sexual Offending into Adulthood and Subsequent Patterns of Recidivism , Maude Beaudry-Cyr

Examining the link between self-control and misconduct in a multi-agency sample of police supervisors: A test of two theories , Christopher Matthew Donner

The Impact of Hyperfemininity on Explicit and Implicit Blame Assignment and Police Reporting of Alcohol Facilitated Rape in a Sample of College Women , Sarah Ehlke

Rurality and Intimate Partner Homicide: Exploring the Relationship between Place, Social Structure, and Femicide in North Carolina , Amelia Kirkland

Self-Control, Attitudinal Beliefs, and White-Collar Crime Intentions , Melissa Anne Lugo

Zero Tolerance for Marginal Populations: Examining Neoliberal Social Controls in American Schools , Brian Gregory Sellers

State-Corporate Crime in the Democratic Republic of Congo , Veronica Jane Winters

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

The Walls Are Closing In: Comparing Property Crime Victimization Risk In Gated And Non-Gated Communities , Nicholas Branic

What Propels Sexual Homicide Offenders? Testing an Integrated Theory of Social Learning and Routine Activities Theories , Heng Choon Chan

A Deadly Way of Doing Business: A Case Study of Corporate Crime in the Coal Mining Industry , Charles Nickolas Stickeler

Deconstructing the "Power and Control Motive": Developing and Assessing the Measurability of Internal Power , Shelly Marie Wagers

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Assessing racial differences in offending trajectories: A life-course view of the race-crime relationship , Michael S. Caudy

Mental Health Courts Effectiveness in Reducing Recidivism and Improving Clinical Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis , Brittany Cross

General Strain Theory and Juvenile Delinquency: A Cross-Cultural Study , Wen-Hsu Lin

General Strain Theory, Race, and Delinquency , Jennifer Peck

Developmental Trajectories of Self-Control: Assessing the Stability Hypothesis , James Vance Ray

Explaining the "Female Victim Effect" in Capital Sentencing Decisions: A Case for Sex-Specific Models of Capital Sentencing Research , Tara N. Richards

A Multilevel Model of Police Corruption: Anomie, Decoupling, and Moral Disengagement , Ruth Zschoche

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Emotional Guardianship of Foreign-Born and Native-Born Hispanic Youth and Its Effect on Violent Victimization , Amy Sheena Eggers

The Influence of Narcissism and Self-Control on Reactive Aggression , Melissa L. Harrison

Is There an "Innocent Female Victim" Effect in Capital Punishment Sentencing? , Amelia Lane Kirkland

An Analysis of the Influence of Sampling Methods on Estimation of Drug Use Prevalence and Patterns Among Arrestees in the United States: Implications for Research and Policy , Janine Kremling

A Pathway to Child Sex Trafficking in Prostitution: The Impact of Strain and Risk-Inflating Responses , Joan A. Reid

Victimization Among Individuals With Low Self-Control: Effects on Fear Versus Perceived Risk of Crime , Casey Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Domestic Violence Within Law Enforcement Families: The Link Between Traditional Police Subculture and Domestic Violence Among Police , Lindsey Blumenstein

Rape Attitudes and Beliefs: A Replication Study , Rhissa Emily Briones

Reel Images: Representations of Adult Male Prisons by the Film Industry , Melissa E. Fenwick

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Home > USC Columbia > Arts and Sciences > Criminology and Criminal Justice > Criminology and Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Criminology and Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The Risk of Protection: Examining the Contextual Effects of Child Protective Services on Child Maltreatment Fatalities in the U.S. , Cosette Morgan McCullough

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Too Feminine for Execution?: Gender Stereotypes and the Media’s Portrayal of Women Sentenced to Death , Kelsey M. Collins

Juveniles, Transferred Juveniles, and the Impact of a Criminal Record on Employment Prospects in Adulthood: An Experimental Study , Joanna Daou

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Why So Long? Examining the Nexus Between Case Complexity and Delay in Florida’s Death Penalty System , Corey Daniel Burton

The Criminalization of HIV and HIV Stigma , Deanna Cann

Views of Substance Use During Pregnancy: Social Responses to the Issue , Taylor Ruddy

The Spatial Variability of Crime: A Review of Methodological Choice, Proposed Models, and Methods for Illustrating the Phenomenon , Matthew D. Spencer

Community Corrections Officer Decision-Making: An Intersectional Analysis , Amber Leigh Williams Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Utility of Using Virtue Locales to Explain Criminogenic Environments , Hunter Max Boehme

Fostering Resilience in Correctional Officers , Jon Thomas Arthur Gist

The Impact of Race/Ethnicity on Sentencing: A Matching Approach , Travis Jones

Unraveling the Temporal Aspects of Victimization: The Reciprocal, Additive, and Cumulative Effects of Direct/Vicarious Victimization on Crime , Yeoju Park

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Media Influence on College Students' Perceptions of the Police , Matilda Foster

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Ohio's Certificate of Relief , Peter Leasure

Trends in the Prevalence of Arrest for Intimate Partner Violence Using the National Crime Victimization Survey , Tara E. Martin

Reading Between the Lines: An Intersectional Media Analysis of Female Sex Offenders in Florida Newspapers , Toniqua C. Mikell

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Short-Term Self-Control Stability of College Students , Nicholas James Blasco

Developmental Patterns of Religiosity in Relation to Criminal Trajectories among Serious Offenders across Adolescence and Young Adulthood , Siying Guo

Local Incarceration As Social Control: A National Analysis Of Social, Economic, And Political Determinants Of Jail Use In The United States , Heather M. Ouellette

Association Between Perception Of Police Prejudice Against Minorities And Juvenile Delinquency , Kwang Hyun Ra

A Quasi-Experimental Analysis Of School-Based Situational Crime Prevention Measures , Gary Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Sex Offender Policies that Spin the Revolving Door: An Exploration of the Relationships Between Residence Restrictions, Homelessness, and Recidivism , Deanna Cann

Untangling the Interconnected Relationships between Alcohol Use, Employment, and Offending , Margaret M. Chrusciel

Inmate Time Utilization And Well-Being , Mateja Vuk

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Socio-Legal Construction Of Adolescent Criminality: Examining Race, Community, And Contextual Factors Through The Lens Of Focal Concerns , Patrick Glen Lowery

The Impact Of Deinstitutionalization On Murders Of Law Enforcement Officers , Xueyi Xing

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Relationships Between Law Enforcement Officer-Involved Vehicle Collisions And Other Police Behaviors , John Andrew Hansen

In the Eye of the Beholder: Exploring the Dialogic Approach to Police Legitimacy , Justin Nix

Criminology on Crimes Against Humanity: A North Korean Case Study , Megan Alyssa Novak

General Strain Theory and Bullying Victimization: Do Parental Support and Control Alleviate the Negative Effects of Bullying , Jonathon Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Adultification in Juvenile Corrections: A Comparison of Juvenile and Adult Officers , Riane Miller Bolin

Perception of Police in Public Housing Communities , Taylor Brickley

Neighborhood Disorganization and Police Decision-Making in the New York City Police Department , Allison Carter

The Impact of Race on Strickland Claims in Federal Courts in the South , Wyatt Gibson

Lead Exposure and Crime , Tara Elaine Martin

GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER: HAZING, HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY, AND VICTIMIZATION , TONIQUA CHAREE MIKELL

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Policing Alcohol and Related Crimes On Campus , Andrea Nicole Allen

Gender and Programming: A Comparison of Program Availability and Participation in U.S. Prisons for Men and Women , Courtney A. Crittenden

Assessing the Impact of the Court Response to Domestic Violence in Two Neighboring Counties , Gillian Mira Pinchevsky

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Criminal Sentencing In the Court Communities of South Carolina: An Examination of offender, Judge, and County Characteristics , Rhys Hester

Examining the Effects of Religiosity and Religious Environments On Inmate Misconduct , Benjamin Dane Meade

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Criminologists' Opinions On Correctional Rehabilitation , Heather M. Ouellette

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

A Qualitative Analysis of the Etiology, Manifestation, and Institutional Responses to Self-Injurious Behaviors in Prison , Steven Doty

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

The Effects of Administrative Factors on Police Officer Job Performance , Irick Anthony Geary Jr.

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Thesis on a Homicide

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Thesis on a homicide   photos.

Roberto, a professor of criminal-law, suspects one of his students of committing a brutal murder.

Genre: Mystery & thriller

Original Language: Spanish

Director: Hernán Goldfrid

Producer: Diego Dubcovsky , Gerardo Herrero , Vanessa Ragone

Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017

Runtime: 1h 46m

Production Co: Tornasol Films S.A.

Cast & Crew

Ricardo Darín

Roberto Bermúdez

Alberto Ammann

Gonzalo Ruiz Cordera

Arturo Puig

Alfredo Hernández

Fabián Arenillas

Mara Bestelli

Antonio Ugo

Mario Passalaqua

Jose Luis Mazza

Calu Rivero

Laura Di Natale

Mateo Chiarino

Natalia Santiago

Maia Weistein

Ezequiel De Almeida

Cecilia Atán

Hernán Goldfrid

Mariela Besuievsky

Executive Producer

Jimena Blanco

Daniel Burman

Diego Dubcovsky

Gerardo Herrero

Vanessa Ragone

Sergio Moure

Original Music

Rolo Pulpeiro

Cinematographer

Pablo Barbieri Carrera

Film Editing

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Hidden Victims: An exploration of the criminal justice experiences of homicide bereaved people in England and Wales

--> Bradford, Lauren (2020) Hidden Victims: An exploration of the criminal justice experiences of homicide bereaved people in England and Wales. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield.

This thesis explores the experiences of the criminal justice system according to a distinct group of crime victims: homicide bereaved people. It focuses on the criminal justice system in England and Wales. By ‘homicide bereaved people’ is meant anyone with a familial relationship to the deceased victim, and in this research involved parents of, adult siblings of and adult offspring of victims. Since the focus is on the criminal justice system, ‘homicide’ was taken to be victims of murder and manslaughter, rather than road traffic accidents or infanticide. The central aim of the research is to explore what the criminal justice experiences of homicide bereaved people are and what is meaningful to them in their interactions throughout the CJS and their experiences of support mechanisms, using an interpretive lens and privileging their perspective. The interactional constitution of victims is the theoretical viewpoint that underpins this project. Drawing upon qualitative interviews with 17 homicide bereaved people, observations of murder trials within three Crown Court centres and semi-structured interviews with criminal justice and victims’ practitioners, this thesis highlights that the criminal justice processes that are encountered cannot be separated from the complex grief processes that occur in the aftermath of homicide. They form a reciprocal relationship and as result homicide bereaved people’s experiences do not fit within a normative legal framework on which responses to victimisation occurs. As a result, the current support frameworks for homicide bereaved people often render them feeling powerless and voiceless which prolongs grief and victim status. Despite victimology being a field of study in its own right for approximately 50 years, there remains a number of gaps in our understanding of victims of crime and their experiences through the criminal justice system. There is a paucity of literature and research about homicide bereaved people as a distinct group of crime victims, so this research aims to situate the experiences of homicide bereaved people within the victimological and criminological literature, by drawing out the distinctive features of their criminal justice experiences which coincide with traumatic grief processes and bereavement. My research offers unique insights into the experiences of those collaterally victimised through bereavement by homicide. Through analysis of their stories and comparison with data gained from interviewing criminal justice and associated professionals and observations from court visits, my research informs suggestions for change that would improve the experiences of those bereaved by homicide.

--> PhD L Bradford --> -->

Filename: PhD L Bradford.pdf

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You do not need to contact us to get a copy of this thesis. Please use the 'Download' link(s) above to get a copy. You can contact us about this thesis . If you need to make a general enquiry, please see the Contact us page.

Home > College of Social and Behavioral Sciences > Criminal Justice > Criminal Justice Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Criminal Justice Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theses/projects/dissertations from 2023 2023.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE AMERICAS: COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL SOURCE COMPILATION VERSUS UNODC DATA , Ivette Avila Jimenez

SUPPORTING REENTRY AT THE EGOCENTRIC LEVEL: INVESTIGATING THE ROLE SOCIAL NETWORKS PLAY POST INCARCERATION , Jennifer Perretti

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Crisis Intervention Team Training and Use of Force on Persons with Mental Illnesses , Xavier Aguirre

THE EFFECT OF POLICE SUB-CULTURE ON INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT FAMILIES , Geovvany Mendez

FORMAL AND INFORMAL LABELING OF ADOLESCENTS: THE CONSEQUENCES OF CUMULATIVE DISADVANTAGE ON DEVIANCE DURING EMERGING ADULTHOOD , Chijioke Onyekonwu

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2020 2020

UNDERSTANDING WHY INDIVIDUALS USE CLUB DRUGS AT RAVES AND ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC EVENTS: A PEER CLUSTER THEORY APPROACH , Brandi N. Burns

PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES IN PREDICTING ASSAULT AND BINGE DRINKING: VARIATION ACROSS EXPLANATORY FACTORS AND GENDER , Allison De Franco

IDENTIFYING MARKERS OF TRANSIT STATES EMBEDDED IN INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING NETWORKS , Citlalik Ibarra Figueroa

AN INTERRUPTED TIME SERIES ANALYSIS EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF HELLER ON VIOLENT GUN CRIME TRENDS IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND DETROIT, MICHIGAN , Naveen Raj Madahar

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2018 2018

FEMALE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S EXPERIENCES OF WORKPLACE HARASSMENT , Vanessa Brodeur

CAN WE LEARN FROM HACKERS TO PROTECT VICTIMS? , Nicholas Marshall Chavez

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2017 2017

HOW FAR WILL YOU GO WHEN THERE IS AN EMBARGO?A STOCHASTIC ACTOR-ORIENTED MODEL OF THE EFFECTS OF ARMS EMBARGOS ON ILLICIT WEAPONS TRADE , Jennifer A. Hagala

Social Media and the Voice of the Department , Brittany N. Rios

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2016 2016

CROSSING BORDERS: MEXICAN DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS INFLUENCE ON INTERSTATE GANG STRUCTURE , Stacey Michelle Goldberg

The Effects of Gender on Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Sentencing Disaprities in Pennsylvania , Dianna Hurst

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2015 2015

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE OF ONSET OF DRUG USE, DRUG DEPENDENCE, MENTAL DISORDERS, AND OFFENSE TYPE AND SEVERITY , Kimberly Diane Gallo

BULLYCIDE: AN EXPLORATION OF THE PREVALENCE OF POTENTIAL INDICATORS COMPARING LGBTIQ AND HETEROSEXUAL ADULTS , Isai Valdez

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2014 2014

A Typology of Homegrown Terrorists , Cynthia Estella Quintero

Los Angeles County's Criminal Street Gangs: Does Violence Roll Downhill? , Jasmin B. Randle

WOMEN AS VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS , Shelby N. Swanson

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

International cocaine and heroin trafficking: A network approach , Stephen Richard Anderson

Drone effects: Structural change in Al Qa̕ ida communications , Stacy Michelle Bush

A path analysis on the acquisition of mental health treatment and the effect of that treatment on subsequent offending , Gabriel Jude Saucedo

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Empirical test of the general strain theory on workplace shootings , Joshwan Marcus Cobbs

Identity theft: A problem of complex systems or moral panic? , Matthew Timothy Tracy

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Controlling gang crime: The Santa Nita gang injunction , Bryan William Devor

An examination of the organizational factors that contribute to police officer perceived organizational support , Dustin Cody Gaines

Immigrant Hispanic women and the victimization they encounter in the United States , Alejandra Aranda Redondo

Hate crimes based on gender identity and sexual orientation , Katie Nicole Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

An examination of observed disparities between felony murder and manslaughter rates across California , Michael Christopher Fuhr

Cartoon violence: A comparison of past and present , Elizabeth Cameron Macias

Job stress among public service employees , Carlena Antonette Orosco

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Detection of deception in criminal defendents: Treatment or trial? , Loran Noelle Bounds

Disciplinary patterns and complaint system of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department , Scott Eric Hutter

The effectiveness of using homicide and auto theft rates as indicators of violent and property crime in the United States , Joseph Allan Schwartz

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

The nine reasons why inmates offend: Rational choice and determinism , Anthony Robert Carbo

Juvenile movement between activity nodes , Jill Mary Christie

Examining the effects of abuse on girls in gangs , Champagne Monique Ford

Gang membership, drug sales, violence, and guns , Jose Fabian Gonzalez Dominquez

Measuring crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) in shopping centers , Anchalee Roongsittchichai

The effects of Megan's Law on the reintegration of child sex offenders , Trisha Marie Tenorio

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

The invisible woman: The lesbian - scared straight , Kathleen Louise Dart

Artists and crooks: A correlational examination of creativity and criminal thinking , Luis Daniel Gascón

Crime and the Sorcerer's Stone: Using Harry Potter to teach theories of crime , Julie Elizabeth Humphrey

The effectiveness of anger management counseling on recidivism rates of gang-related adolescents in the Project BRIDGE Program , Candace Kay Johnson

Healthcare fraud and non-fraud healthcare crimes: A comparison , Michael Ponce

Implications of sex offender residency restrictions , Erin Patricia Wolbeck

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Assessing the impact of the mentally ill offender crime reduction aftercare program in San Bernardino, California , Araseli De La Rosa

Insulating effects of early childhood education , William Anthony Kull

Parolee and police officer perceptions of prison gang etiology, power, and control , William Henry Richert

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Treatment of mentally ill juvenile offenders in the criminal justice system , Robin Michelle Atlas

The geo-spatial analysis and environmental factors of narcotics hot spots , Stefanie Wrae Balchak

The effects of family size on the development of delinquency , Tasha DeLeeuw Gilbert

A portable traveler's weblog , Feng-Chun Lung

Trafficking in women: International sex services , Joseph Morgan Wilcox

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Spirituality: The effects on female inmates and recidivism , Joanne Marie Erbe

The impact of social disorganization and public school characteristics in explaining suspensions and expulsions , Amanda De Vries Liabeuf

The relationship between place management and physical environment in apartment crime , Eric Steven McCord

Domestic violence and the Air Force family: Research into situational dynamics and evaluation of the Air Force Family Advocacy Program , Thomas Peter Sherman

Female property crime offenders: Explanations from economic marginalization perspective , Susan Chih-Wen Su

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

Why do they resist? Exploring dynamics of police-citizen violence during arrest encounters , Kimberly Joy Belvedere

Boot camps: An alternative sanction for better or worse , Angela Dawn Macdonald

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Chemical dependency treatment: An examination of following continuing care recommendations , Briar Lee Faulkner

The criminal behavior and motivations behind McVeigh's decision to bomb the Murrah Federal Building , Mark Lawson Fetter

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

A description and assessment of a Youth Accountability Board , Tamara Dawn Sorensen

Privatization of Southern California local detention facilities , Anita Whitehead

High technology cargo theft: A new multibillion dollar criminal industry , John Robert Yakstas

Theses/Dissertations from 2000 2000

Commuters and city crime rates , Colin Leslie Adkins

Banning Correctional Facility: Residential substance abuse treatment program process survey , Melinda DeAnn Hulvey

An evaluation of the drugs crime nexus, legalization of drugs, drug enforcement, and drug treatment rehabilitation , James Richard Keesling

Evaluation of the operation New Hope Alternative School and lifestyle improvement program for at-risk juveniles , Matthew Ashley Robby

The promise of restorative justice: An outcomes evaluation of an Orange County Victim Offender Reconciliation Program, with focus on the victim's perspective , Charlaine Annette Cecilia White

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

Is capital punishment a deterrent to crime? , Greg Warren Colyer

Theses/Dissertations from 1998 1998

Cross cultural relations in law enforcement , Mario Martin Cortez

Domestic violence: An evaluation of policy effects on arrests for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department from 1987 to 1997 , James Patrick McElvain

The verdict in retrospect: An anlysis of the sociological and jurisprudential paradigms of jury decision-making , Christopher S. Riley

A comparative study of recidivism rates between graduates of Twin Pines Ranch and juveniles in Riverside County who completed probation , Djuan Maria Smith

Birth and the magistrate: The influence of pregnancy on judicial decisions , Kristi Dawne Waits

Theses/Dissertations from 1997 1997

Child abuse and juvenile delinquency: A review of the literature , Charlotte Center Anthony

Resistance and perceptions of punitiveness as a function of voluntary and involuntary participation in domestic violence treatment programs , Aimee Kristine Cassidy

Drug court: Using diversion to supervise and treat an escalating drug offender population , Laura Davis

Sanctioning DUI offenders: The effect of extralegal factors on sentence severity , Beverly K. Rios

Theses/Dissertations from 1996 1996

Survey on the seriousness of crime: A comparison of three police departments , Terry J. Comnick

Quality of services at community correction facilities , Funmi Stella Tofowomo

Theses/Dissertations from 1995 1995

Attitudes toward hiring and working with homosexuals in Southern California law enforcement agencies , James Frederick Doyle

The Marine Corps subculture , David Herman Marshall

The continuing evolution of policing: community oriented policing in the civilian sector and its applicability in the military environment , Ralph George Schindler

Death sentence experience: The impact on family members of condemned inmates , Catherine Anne Vallejo

Self-perceptions of women who kill , Maria Guadalupe Venegas

Theses/Dissertations from 1994 1994

Trust in courtroom participants: A question of bias in prospective jurors , Robin Leslie Adrian

A study of employee theft in hospitals , Elena Castillo-Pekarcik

The comparison of victim-offender mediation programs between China and America , Yang Fang

Mentoring with youthful offenders: An implementation evaluation , R. Steve Lowe

Comparisons of inmate offense severity ratings and attitudes toward rehabilitation , Henry William Provencher

Theses/Dissertations from 1993 1993

Law enforcement officers killed and assaulted, 1960-1987: A descriptive analysis , Thomas Edward Singer

Theses/Dissertations from 1992 1992

An analysis of plea bargaining , Gabriela Aceves

Empirical analysis and evaluation of the California Department of Youth Authority's post parole substance abuse treatment program: El Centro, California , Don Allen Josi

Theses/Dissertations from 1991 1991

The re-emergence of public support for rehabilitative treatment in prisons , Victoria Lynn Penley

Theses/Dissertations from 1990 1990

Claims making in the case study of missing children: A case study , James Leonard Griggs

The ignored victim: An examination of male rape in a general population , Thomas Williams

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Legal Dictionary

The Law Dictionary for Everyone

Homicide is defined as the taking of a person’s life, regardless of the intent or the circumstances surrounding the death. This means that a homicide is not necessarily a murder , but may be caused by an accident, an execution, or even abortion. Homicide itself is not necessarily a crime, though the circumstances that resulted in the individual’s death may raise it to a criminal level. To explore this concept, consider the following homicide definition.

Definition of Jury

• The killing of one person by another.
• The act of killing a human being.

Origin   1325-75  Middle English < Middle French  homicīdium (a killing)

What is Homicide

Homicide occurs when an individual ends the life of another human being, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The term homicide simply refers to any act that caused or resulted in the death of a person. This is different from something the decedent did which resulted in his own death, such as falling off a tall building. However, if the decedent had been arguing with a co-worker on the roof, and the two began a shoving match, which caused him to fall off the tall building, the death would be considered a homicide. Still, it isn’t necessarily murder, as circumstances may dictate that it was an accident after all.

Laws governing homicide, including what acts are subject to criminal charges, and defining specific punishments for those acts, vary by jurisdiction . Criminal homicide generally involves a killing that was caused by either intent, or by negligence or recklessness.

Types of Homicide

Every day, people cause the deaths of other people, whether they do it accidentally, or by design. There are many types of homicide, not all of which are criminal in nature. While the exact classification or name of each type of homicide might vary according to each jurisdiction’s laws, they basically include criminal homicide, negligent homicide , justifiable homicide, and state-sanctioned homicide.

Criminal Homicide

Criminal homicide is not necessarily murder, as many accidental deaths fall into this category. In any criminal homicide case, the exact circumstances of the event, the mind-set, or mental state, of the perpetrator, and intent are considered in determining what criminal charges, if any, should be leveled. The most common forms of criminal homicide include murder and manslaughter .

• Murder . Murder is the intentional killing of another person, or the accidental killing of another person while intentionally committing another crime. This is because the perpetrator should know that his illegal acts could cause the injury or death of another person, even if that was not his intent to begin with. Murder is broken down further into degrees, with first-degree murder being the most serious.
• Voluntary Manslaughter . Voluntary manslaughter refers to a situation in which the perpetrator intentionally killed the victim, though he had no prior thought or intent to kill. This might occur “in the heat of passion,” such as in an unexpected circumstance that causes the perpetrator to suddenly become mentally or emotionally distressed.
• Involuntary Manslaughter . Involuntary Manslaughter unintentionally causes the death of another person while engaged in negligent or reckless behavior. For a charge of involuntary manslaughter to apply, the perpetrator must have had no intent to kill the victim. This might apply to a young man who crashes his car while street racing, killing a bystander.

Negligent Homicide

Negligent homicide is the lowest offense in the homicide category, and may be charged when an individual causes the death of another person through criminal negligence. There is no intent to kill, or premeditation involved, however, the individual must have knowledge of the risk of great harm or death to occur from his actions or failure to act.

For example:

Stella and Glenn are out back target shooting when Glenn accidentally shoots Stella in the abdomen. Because Glenn is on probation , and not allowed to handle or own a firearm, he is reluctant to call 9-1-1, and simply carries Stella into the house and attempts to render first aid. Stella dies of internal bleeding. While the shooting of Stella was an accident, Glenn should have attempted to get help by calling the Paramedics. Because he failed to do what any reasonable person would have done in the same situation, Glenn has committed negligent homicide.

Justifiable Homicide

Justifiable homicide is the killing of another person without criminal intent or malice. This might occur when a person is defending himself, or defending others. Justifiable homicide also refers to situations in which a death is caused by a law enforcement officer or other official acting in the line of duty to prevent a serious crime, and to protect others. Justifiable homicide is not a criminal offence, though it must be shown that the individual had a reasonable fear that his life, or the life of another person, was in jeopardy, or that the other person was about to commit a serious crime that could have caused serious injury or the death of other another person.

Real Case of Justifiable Homicide

In 2010, Todd Edward Fryer, of Ocklawaha, Florida, died as a result of a gunshot wound. That day, Fryer’s mother had asked a friend to come to her home to help her deal with her troubled son. Fryer and his girlfriend showed up at the home and began arguing with the mother and her friend. The situation got out of control and the police were called. Fryer’s girlfriend was arrested on battery charges.

Fryer continued to cause problems with his mother, who called another friend, who came to her house with his 8-year old daughter in the car. As the friend, Raymond Emala, drove up to the home, Fryer approached his vehicle in an angry and aggressive manner. Emala, who had a physical disability and could not get defend himself out of the car, pulled a gun out of the center console, hoping to scare the angry Fryer away. Fryer, however, lunged for the gun, causing it to discharge into the windshield.

At that time, Fryer began punching Emala through the car window, and Emala shot him twice. Fryer later died from his wounds. The state attorney ruled this shooting a justifiable homicide, as Emala had a reasonable fear for his life, and for the life of his young daughter, who was in the car with him.

State-Sanctioned Homicide

State-sanctioned homicide refers to the killing of a person with the consent, or sanction, of the government. The most obvious example of state-sanctioned homicide is capital punishment , in which an individual who has been sentenced to the death penalty is killed by prison officials. State-sanctioned homicide also covers homicides committed in action during a war. The use of “deadly force” by law enforcement officials is technically covered under this type of homicide, though there are strict parameters for this act.

Although there is a great deal of contention over the issue of abortion, many consider this act to be a form of state-sanctioned homicide. Strictly speaking, because this involves the intentional killing of a human being, and is legal in the United States, it may be considered state-sanctioned.

Vehicular Homicide

The number of deaths caused by the operation of motor vehicles has risen to the point of gaining its own classification of homicide. Vehicular homicide refers to the killing of a person while negligently or recklessly operating a motor vehicle. Sometimes referred to as “ vehicular manslaughter ,” specific charges for vehicular homicide vary by jurisdiction. The victim of vehicular homicide may be any person, whether inside or outside the perpetrator’s car, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, a passenger in the vehicle, or another motorist.

All but three states, Alaska, Montana, and Arizona, have specific statues for vehicular homicide, which hold that a motor vehicle is a deadly weapon if used negligently. Even if the state in which the death occurred, the driver in such an incident may be charged with manslaughter or murder. In some states, if the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, he may face charges that are more serious. In general, there are two degrees of vehicular homicide:

First-Degree Vehicular Homicide

This is a felony which results in 3 to 15 years in prison. Repeat or habitual offenders can serve longer sentences. A vehicular homicide meets the criteria for first degree if the driver: was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, was driving recklessly without regard for the safety of others, failed to stop, or fled from a law enforcement officer, or failed to stop after being involved in, or causing a collision.

• Was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Was driving recklessly without regard for the safety of others
• Failed to stop for, or fled from, a law enforcement officer
• Failed to stop after being involved in, or causing, a collision

Second-Degree Vehicular Homicide

Second-degree homicide is a misdemeanor offense, and is usually defined simply as any type of homicide by vehicle that is not covered by first-degree vehicular homicide. The penalty for second-degree vehicular homicide might include up to one year in jail, a fine , and probation.

Real Case of Vehicular Homicide

Rebecca Gayheart, born in 1971 is an American actor. She appeared in commercials for Noxzema and on the soap opera, “Loving.” On June 13, 2001, Gayheart was driving down the road when she struck a 9-year old child as he crossed a Los Angeles street. The boy died the next day from his injuries. In November of that year, Gayheart plead guilty to second-degree vehicular manslaughter, and was given three years probation, 750 hours of community service, a $2,800 fine, and a one-year suspension of her driver’s license. Had Gayheart left the scene of the accident without stopping to check on the boy and report to police, this accident would have been considered first-degree vehicular homicide.

Punishment for Homicide

The punishment for homicide varies greatly, depending on the exact nature of the charges. While justifiable homicide, and state-sanctioned homicide are not subject to criminal charges, and therefore no punishment, first-degree criminal homicide, or vehicular homicide, may be subject to sentences as severe as life in prison, or the death penalty. The laws of each jurisdiction specify the range of punishments that may be ordered by the court in any homicide case.

Homicide Detectives

Homicide detectives are law enforcement officers tasked with investigating and solving homicide cases. Homicide detectives perform several duties, such as interviewing witnesses, gathering evidence , questioning suspects, and following leads, all with the goal of catching and convicting killers. Homicide detectives work on the local, state, or federal level, and are often faced with confrontational situations, which means they must be skilled in firearm usage. Becoming a homicide detective can take years, as most detectives are promoted to the position after gaining experience in the field.

Homicide Statistics

In 2012, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime published a study, which focused primarily on intentional homicide, to illustrate the worldwide trends and developments concerning homicide. The organization gathered data from 207 countries and found that:

• In 2012, more than 415,000 homicides took place globally, a decrease from previous years
• Over 36% of those occurred in the America’s alone
• Globally, 79% of all homicide victims are male
• In America, 66% of homicides were perpetrated through the use of a firearm (compared to just 13% in Europe)
• 17% occurred with the use of a knife (compared to 33% in Europe)
• Fewer than 25% of homicides result in a suspect being convicted

Related Legal Terms and Issues

• Criminal Act – An act committed by an individual that is in violation of the law, or that poses a threat to the public.
• Decedent – A person who has died.
• Defendant – A party against whom a lawsuit has been filed in civil court, or who has been accused of, or charged with, a crime or offense.
• Felony – A crime, often involving violence, regarded as more serious than a misdemeanor. Felony crimes are usually punishable by imprisonment more than one year.
• Intent – A resolve to perform an act for a specific purpose; a resolution to use a particular means to a specific end.
• Jurisdiction – The legal authority to hear legal cases and make judgments; the geographical region of authority to enforce justice.
• Malice – The intention to do evil, inflict injury, or cause suffering of another.
• Misdemeanor – A criminal offense less serious than a felony; generally those punishable by a fine, probation, community service, or imprisonment of less than one year.
• Negligence – Failure to exercise a degree of care that would be taken by another reasonable person in the same circumstances.
• Perpetrator – A person who commits an illegal or criminal act.
• Reckless Behavior – Rash, careless, or wanton conduct that ignores the possibility of dangerous consequences.
• Victim – A person who is injured, killed, or otherwise harmed as a result of a criminal act, accident, or other event.