The Act of Filicide. How offenders and motives differ from other murders

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: The act of filicide

Who commits filicide?

Why commit filicide?

Victimology

Chapter 2: A Hidden Crime

The medicalisation of filicide

The moral dilemma

The route to ‘medicalisation’

Chapter 3: Acknowledging the act of filicide

Why is filicide unfamiliar in the criminological field?

The age range distinction

Maternal versus Paternal and surrogate parentage

Statistical data

Knowledge of filicide: A short survey

Methodology

Findings

Media portrayal

Chapter 4: Bringing filicide back into the criminological sphere

Acknowledgement of risk

Filicide versus ‘stranger danger’

What would be the Benefits?

What would be the negatives?

Conclusion

Objectives and Topics

This dissertation investigates the relative obscurity of filicide within the criminological field and explores the potential societal benefits of re-establishing it as a focal point of criminological study. The primary research question addresses whether increasing the academic and public awareness of filicide—specifically the murder of a child by a parent or parental surrogate—could help provide a more realistic understanding of child homicide risks and mitigate the disproportionate fear of strangers.

• The complex definitions of filicide and the challenges in distinguishing it from other child murders.
• The ‘medicalisation’ of the act, which often prioritizes the psychiatric state of the perpetrator over the criminal nature of the homicide.
• The influence of media portrayal and cultural perceptions on how filicide is viewed by the public and legal systems.
• A survey-based assessment of knowledge levels regarding filicide among students of Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Chapter 1: The act of filicide: This chapter introduces the definition of filicide, explores its complexities regarding age and parental roles, and examines historical and literary representations of filicidal motives.

Chapter 2: A Hidden Crime: This chapter discusses the ‘medicalisation’ of filicide, examining how legal and societal frameworks often shift focus from the criminal act to the psychiatric health of the offender, particularly mothers.

Chapter 3: Acknowledging the act of filicide: This chapter analyzes statistical data and presents a survey on student knowledge, highlighting the lack of distinct criminological focus on filicide compared to other forms of child murder.

Chapter 4: Bringing filicide back into the criminological sphere: This final analytical chapter discusses the potential benefits and risks of increasing awareness, specifically regarding how it might reshape the public’s fear of ‘stranger danger’ and improve child safety.

Keywords

Filicide, Criminology, Child Homicide, Infanticide, Neonaticide, Medicalisation, Resnick, Motive, Stranger Danger, Criminal Justice, Parental Responsibility, Victimology, Moral Panic, Media Portrayal, Safeguarding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

This work explores the act of filicide—the killing of a child by their parent—and investigates why this phenomenon is often treated as an obscure topic within criminology, despite its significant impact on child homicide statistics.

What are the central thematic fields covered?

The dissertation covers legal definitions of child murder, the psychiatric ‘medicalisation’ of filicidal parents, the role of media in shaping public perception, and the discrepancy between actual risks and perceived threats.

What is the primary goal of the dissertation?

The main goal is to argue that re-integrating filicide into the criminological sphere would allow for a more accurate understanding of child homicide risks, potentially reducing societal fear of strangers and redirecting focus toward actual dangers.

Which scientific methods were used?

The author conducted a literature review of historical and modern criminological sources alongside an independent short survey distributed to Criminal Justice and Criminology students to gauge current awareness levels.

What is examined in the main section?

The main section analyzes Dr. Phillip Resnick’s motive categories, the influence of the Infanticide Acts, current statistical limitations, and specific high-profile cases like those of ‘Baby P’ and Andrea Yates.

How would the author define the key characteristics of this work?

Key characteristics include the focus on the hidden nature of filicide, the critique of ‘medicalising’ criminal behavior, and the call for independent, specialized research into filicidal acts to improve child protection.

How does the author view the role of the 'Medea Complex' in modern society?

The author uses the 'Medea Complex' to illustrate how ancient literary notions of filicide have persisted, influencing how society perceives murderous motives in parents today.

Does the author believe media coverage is balanced regarding filicide?

No, the author argues that the media disproportionately focuses on sensational ‘stranger danger’ cases, often neglecting the more frequent but less ‘newsworthy’ occurrences of filicide within the family.

Why does the author advocate for a shift in current child protection focus?

The author suggests that current child protection strategies are overly focused on external threats, and that acknowledging domestic risks could lead to more effective and realistic preventative measures.