From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers
In the news media, there are regular reports of family caregivers killing the people for whom they care, but scholarly research on this phenomenon is fragmented, and there has been little effort to predict or prevent future deaths. The aim of this study was to develop a typology of caregiver-perpetr...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/6/376 |
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| author | Siobhan T. O’Dwyer Charlotte Bishop Rachel Gimson G. J. Melendez-Torres Daniel Stevens Lorna Hardy |
| author_facet | Siobhan T. O’Dwyer Charlotte Bishop Rachel Gimson G. J. Melendez-Torres Daniel Stevens Lorna Hardy |
| author_sort | Siobhan T. O’Dwyer |
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| description | In the news media, there are regular reports of family caregivers killing the people for whom they care, but scholarly research on this phenomenon is fragmented, and there has been little effort to predict or prevent future deaths. The aim of this study was to develop a typology of caregiver-perpetrated homicides that could provide a framework for more rigorous research and targeted responses in policy and practice. Ideal Type Analysis was applied to sixty-four homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by family caregivers in England and Wales between January 2015 and December 2019. The cases clustered into seven clear types: Ending Suffering; Genuine Burden of Care; Pre-existing Mental Illness; Neglect; Exploitation; Caregiver as Victim of Domestic Violence, Abuse or Coercive Control; and Caregiver as Perpetrator of Domestic Violence, Abuse, or Coercive Control. Each type was characterised by a distinct motive, context, or course of events leading to the homicide. This is the first typology of homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by caregivers. The Caregiver-Perpetrated Homicide Typology challenges previous claims that caregiver-perpetrated homicides are isolated events and provides a framework for the development of evidence-based prediction and prevention initiatives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-017f36507f034e0b998a0112698c01ed |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-017f36507f034e0b998a0112698c01ed2025-08-20T03:26:55ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602025-06-0114637610.3390/socsci14060376From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by CaregiversSiobhan T. O’Dwyer0Charlotte Bishop1Rachel Gimson2G. J. Melendez-Torres3Daniel Stevens4Lorna Hardy5School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKLaw School, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QJ, UKLaw School, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QJ, UKMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UKDepartment of Politics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QJ, UKMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UKIn the news media, there are regular reports of family caregivers killing the people for whom they care, but scholarly research on this phenomenon is fragmented, and there has been little effort to predict or prevent future deaths. The aim of this study was to develop a typology of caregiver-perpetrated homicides that could provide a framework for more rigorous research and targeted responses in policy and practice. Ideal Type Analysis was applied to sixty-four homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by family caregivers in England and Wales between January 2015 and December 2019. The cases clustered into seven clear types: Ending Suffering; Genuine Burden of Care; Pre-existing Mental Illness; Neglect; Exploitation; Caregiver as Victim of Domestic Violence, Abuse or Coercive Control; and Caregiver as Perpetrator of Domestic Violence, Abuse, or Coercive Control. Each type was characterised by a distinct motive, context, or course of events leading to the homicide. This is the first typology of homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by caregivers. The Caregiver-Perpetrated Homicide Typology challenges previous claims that caregiver-perpetrated homicides are isolated events and provides a framework for the development of evidence-based prediction and prevention initiatives.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/6/376unpaid carersinformal carersdisabilitychronic illnesssuicidefamily |
| spellingShingle | Siobhan T. O’Dwyer Charlotte Bishop Rachel Gimson G. J. Melendez-Torres Daniel Stevens Lorna Hardy From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers Social Sciences unpaid carers informal carers disability chronic illness suicide family |
| title | From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers |
| title_full | From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers |
| title_fullStr | From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers |
| title_short | From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers |
| title_sort | from caring to killing a typology of homicides and homicide suicides perpetrated by caregivers |
| topic | unpaid carers informal carers disability chronic illness suicide family |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/6/376 |
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