Homicidal Physical Violence: An Exploratory Analysis of Relevant Cognitive, Demographic, and Criminological Factors in a Sample of Murderers

• Author: Callie Mazurek,Robert E. Hanlon,Michael Brook,Mary Kwasny
• DOI: 10.1177/1088767920935161
• Published date: 01 February 2021
• Date: 01 February 2021
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767920935161

Homicide Studies

2021, Vol. 25(1) 61 –82

© 2020 SAGE Publications

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DOI: 10.1177/1088767920935161

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Article

Homicidal Physical Violence:

An Exploratory Analysis

of Relevant Cognitive,

Demographic, and

Criminological Factors in

a Sample of Murderers

Callie Mazurek1, Michael Brook1,

Mary Kwasny2, and Robert E. Hanlon1,3

Abstract

Homicide injury severity (HIS), the degree of physical injury inflicted on a victim

during a homicide, has emerged as a relevant criminological variable. However, little

is known regarding the offender characteristics and criminological variables that may

be associated with greater HIS. Data (demographic, cognitive, and criminological

variables) from forensic neuropsychological evaluations of N = 101 offenders convicted

of murder, were explored in relation to the Homicide Injury Scale. Numerous factors

were related to HIS. Results partially replicate prior findings of factors associated

with violent offending and provide preliminary evidence for distinct risk factors for

inflicting severe injury during a homicide.

Keywords

homicide, violence, homicide injury severity, cognition, neuropsychological testing

1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of

Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

2Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,

IL, USA

3Neuropsychological Associates of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Corresponding Author:

Robert E. Hanlon, Neuropsychological Associates of Chicago, 645 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 803

Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Email: r-hanlon@northwestern.edu

935161HSXXXX10.1177/1088767920935161Homicide StudiesMazurek et al.

research-article2020

62 Homicide Studies 25(1)

Introduction

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were an estimated 14,905

homicides in the U.S. during 2018, with a murder rate of 5.0 murders per 100,000

individuals (U.S. Department of Justice, 2020). Numerous costs are associated with

homicide, including criminal justice system (e.g., government funds spent on incar-

ceration, prosecution and adjudication services, etc.) and intangible costs to victims

and families (e.g., pain and suffering, decreased quality of life, psychological dis-

tress). The average cost per homicide offense in the U.S. is estimated to range from

$8.98 million to $17.25 million (Wickramasekera et al., 2015). Given the heavy bur-

den that homicide places on society, it is pertinent to better understand characteris-

tics of homicide offenders, in order to inform policy, law enforcement, jurisprudence,

and correctional efforts.

Homicide Injury Severity

Several systems have been developed to quantify the degree of physical injury inflicted

on victims during the commission of a homicide (Safarik & Jarvis, 2005; Tamsen

et al., 2015). Homicide injury severity (HIS) has emerged as a promising criminologi-

cal variable associated with victim age (Jordan et al., 2010), survival time (Cros et al.,

2013), and the distance between the offender’s and victim’s residence (Safarik et al.,

2002; Safarik & Jarvis, 2005). Despite the promise of HIS as an important construct

for the understanding of homicide dynamics and extremely violent crime in general,

little is known regarding the offender characteristics that may be associated with

greater injury severity during the commission of a homicide. Prior studies have found

significant associations between HIS and the perpetrators’ age (Safarik et al., 2002;

Safarik & Jarvis, 2005) and level of dangerousness (Ganpat et al., 2014). However,

other potentially relevant intraindividual (e.g., demographic, psychiatric, cognitive)

determinants of HIS remain to be elucidated.

Historical Factors Associated with Severity of Violence

Although little is known regarding static (e.g., demographic, diagnostic) factors in

relation to homicide injury per se, prior studies have reported significant associations

between these factors and the severity of violence. Research suggests that perpetrators

of more violent crimes such as homicide have lower levels of income and education

than offenders who commit less violent crimes such as assault (Koch et al., 2011;

Suonpää et al., 2016). There is also evidence to suggest that a history of substance use

or abuse (Langevin, 2003), including at the time of the offense (DiCataldo & Everett,

2008), and head injury (Langevin et al., 1987; Lewis et al., 1983) are associated with

greater severity of violent offending.

Studies also report distinct associations between psychological trauma history, psy-

chiatric diagnosis, and severity of violent offending. Childhood sexual and/or physical

abuse has been associated with greater severity of violence in generally violent