This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Delisi, M. Articles by Scherer, A. M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Multiple Homicide Offenders

Offense Characteristics, Social Correlates, and Criminal Careers

Aaron M. Scherer

Iowa State University

Because investigations of multiple homicide offenders (MHOs) are usually case studies, there is limited understanding of the linkages between them and other criminal offenders. Using data from an exploratory sample of 160 MHOs and a control group of 494 single homicide offenders, this study examines MHOs from a criminal career perspective and finds that nearly 30% of them were habitual offenders before their final homicide event. Those with prior rape convictions, misdemeanor convictions, more extensive prison histories, and current involvement in rape and burglary are more likely to kill multiple victims. Curiously, nearly 40% of MHOs had zero prior arrests. Overall, arrest onset occurs later in the life course and is not predictive of offending. In conclusion, the study of MHOs could enrich the criminal career perspective, while posing some empirical and theoretical challenges to that paradigm.

Key Words: homicide • career criminal • recidivism • violence • criminal career

Criminal Justice and Behavior, Vol. 33, No. 3, 367-391 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0093854806286193


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Duwe Sliding Down the Slippery Slope of Multiple Murder: "Examining Offending Specialization in a Sample of Male Multiple Homicide Offenders" Homicide Studies, May 1, 2009; 13(2): 189 - 192. [PDF]