Homicide-Suicide (H-S) is a rare but violent event in which an individual commits homicide and thereafter commits suicide. The H-S phenomenon appears to be increasing among members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Although research on H-S is sparse, several SA studies have implicated the SAPS as a high risk occupational group for such killings. However, no systematic research that focuses on police H-S has ever been conducted within the RSA. The aim of this thesis is to determine the underlying causes of police H-S killings. The current national study included thirty-eight (38) police H-S cases over a two-year period (2012-2013). The macro, meso, and micro levels of analysis were utilised to study this phenomenon and to test both the socio-cultural and intrapsychic explanations of H-S. A mixed method approach was utilised, which involved both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Information on H-S was collected via document analysis and interviews with survivors of an H-S attack. The data obtained from the documents were coded on the SAPS “Homicide-Suicide Incidence Coding Form” and the results of this analysis were presented graphically in both tables and charts. Three interviews were conducted with the survivors of these attacks and were qualitatively analysed. The SAPS displayed an H-S incidence rate of 24.27 per 100 000 police officers. A typical police H-S perpetrator is likely to be a black African male who is 35 years old with a Grade 12 education. He would hold the rank of a constable and would have a history of domestic abuse. His victim would usually be an intimate partner of the same race who would be younger than him. She would be employed as an administrative clerk and would be shotand killed multiple times by her amorous jealous boyfriend due to a heated argument or quarrel. The service pistol would be used to commit both H-S killings. Four main themes emerged from the transcripts, namely: Patriarchal dynamics in H-S relationships, Financial issues and the patriarchal order, The death wish (“Thanatos”) of the perpetrator and the H-S survivors as double victims. On the macro level, partial support was found for social integration theory, while the meso and micro levels of analysis supported the psychodynamic perspective. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

For decades there has been growing interest into the crime of child murders. Emphasis was placed on victims and those at risk. Not much focus was placed on perpetrators and their families. Evidence suggests that the family and social systems play a vital role in determining adult violent behaviour. This qualitative study aims to explore the experiences of convicted child murderers in their family and social system. Data was collected and analysed, using genogram interviews and analysis. Themes were highlighted using hermeneutic thematic analysis, within a post-modern paradigm. Results were presented in the form of genogram analysis and thematic content analysis. Prominent themes that arose were separation, rejection, abuse, neglect and substance abuse. These life experiences together with poor education are some of the characteristics that may have contributed to the child murderers actions towards children. / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in English / As an external cause of death, strangulation represents an extreme and particularly pernicious form of violence. Following the evidence gap in the extant literature, the current research examined the incidence, distributions, individual and situational predictors, and structural determinants of homicidal strangulation in the City of Johannesburg for the period 2001-2010. The thesis is structured around four discrete but interrelated studies, which collectively offer an initial contribution to the body of scholarship on homicide generally, and on the characteristics and patterns of strangulation homicide specifically. The research drew on data from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System and the South African National Census. Study I is a descriptive study that quantifies the extent of homicidal strangulation in the City of Johannesburg and describes its distribution by characteristics of person, time, place and alcohol consumption. The remaining studies are analytical in focus, and are aimed at explaining homicidal strangulation in the City of Johannesburg in terms of its determinants. These studies are differentiated by their focus on individual-level and neighbourhood-level risks. Study II assesses overall homicide strangulation risk in relation to all the other leading causes of homicide. Study III undertakes further disaggregation to investigate homicidal strangulation risk by gender specifically. Study IV considers the socio-structural correlates and geographic distributions of fatal strangulation. The study engages select micro-level and macro-level theories that focus on the intersection between vulnerability and routine activities, gender and neighbourhood derivatives of violence to explain the social ecology of lethal strangulation. The research findings demonstrate that homicidal strangulation in the City of Johannesburg is a unique phenomenon that is distinct from overall homicide. As the fourth leading cause of homicide in the City of Johannesburg, fatal strangulation exhibits a marked female preponderance in victimisation and distinctive socio-demographic, spatio-temporal, sex-specific and neighbourhood-level variation in risk. The study is aligned with the increasing trend towards disaggregating overall homicide into more defined and conceptually meaningful categories of homicide. The study may represent one of the first empirical investigations that also attempts to offer theoretically-derived explanations of homicidal strangulation in South Africa. Fatal strangulation is a multi-faceted phenomenon that requires multi-dimensional and multi-level interventions directed at several points of its social ecology. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

Made available in DSpace on 2012-09-06T01:12:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 137.pdf: 1419630 bytes, checksum: 54d1c7a86a48a97123ef9cd42cad1034 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1999 / Na última década, em Porto Alegre, o aumento dos homicídios e dos acidentes de transporte tornaram as causas externas o principal grupo de causas de morte entre 5 e 34 anos de idade. A identificaçao de grupos expostos a fatores correlacionados à violência é fundamental para sua prevençao. O objetivo geral é analisar a distribuiçao espacial das residências das vítimas de homicídios no município de Porto Alegre, em 1996, visando identificar o seu contexto sócio-espacial. Foram utilizados indicadores demográficos e sócio-econômicos, provenientes do censo demográfico de 1991 e contagem populacional de 1996, para caracterizar os setores censitários que compoem o município, através de análise de aglomerados, pelo método K-means. A mortalidade por homicídios, acidentes de transporte e suicídios, proveniente do sistema de informaçoes sobre mortalidade de 1996, foi localizada pontualmente em malha digital de arruamento, através do sistema de informaçoes geográficas do município. A distribuiçao espacial dos óbitos e da populaçao foi analisada através de métodos de alisamento de kernel. A análise do índice de homicídios, construído através da razao entre estas distribuiçoes, permitiu a identificaçao de microáreas de diferentes índices de homicídios. Estas microáreas foram caracterizadas pelos indicadores sócio-econômicos e pela presença de escolas, serviços de saúde, delegacias e postos de polícia militar. Foram identificados quatro grupos que delimitaram microáreas sócio-econômicas, diferenciados com maior peso dos indicadores relacionados às condiçoes de moradia. As microáreas da periferia urbana, onde se concentram as favelas, com piores indicadores sócio-econômicos apresentaram maior índice de homicídios. Por outro lado, os dois grupos de melhor renda e escolaridade apresentaram índices de homicídios menores, mas com níveis de homicídios muito diferenciados entre si. Quando o município foi dividido em microáreas de três níveis de índices de homicídios, as médias dos indicadores que se diferenciaram entre os níveis foram: o número de habitantes por cômodo, renda, instruçao e medianas etárias, mas com grande variabilidade interna. A distribuiçao dos equipamentos públicos de segurança e educaçao, mostrou-se deficitária nas microáreas com alto índice de homicídios. A classificaçao de microáreas através de indicadores sócio-econômicos mostrou capacidade limitada para identificar populaçoes expostas aos homicídios. Pode-se inferir que as condiçoes sócio-econômicas nao determinaram, por si só, os comportamentos violentos. Esta determinaçao depende da combinaçao com outros fatores que têm participaçao importante no perfil de cada local. Sugere-se a busca de novos indicadores que sejam capazes de diferenciar os grupos vulneráveis, com maior precisao. Os métodos espacias utilizados permitiram a identificaçao de microáreas que concentram óbitos, cujas populaçoes devem ser enfocadas no planejamento de açoes de prevençao das mortes violentas. / During the last decade, violent causes of death became the main group of mortality among people between 5 and 34 years old in Porto Alegre City due to an increasing of homicides and traffic accidents. The identification of groups exposed to factors correlated to violence is a major task for its prevention. The general objective of this study is to analyze the spatial distribution of the victims' homicide residences in the municipality of Porto Alegre, in 1996, aiming to identify its social and spatial context. Demographic and socioeconomic indicators were used, based on data from the demographic census of 1991 and population counting of 1996, to characterize the municipal census tracts through cluster analysis, using the K-means method. The mortality by homicides, traffic accidents and suicides, from the mortality information system was located as points on the street digital map, through Geographic Information System. Spatial distribution of deaths and population were analyzed through Kernel smoothing method. Analysis of homicide index, calculated through the ratio between these distributions, allowed the identification of microareas with different homicide indexes. These microareas were characterized by socioeconomic indicators and by the presence of schools, health services and police stations. Four groups were identified defining socioeconomic microareas in which the dwelling condition indicators played a major role in their differentials. Urban peripheric microareas, where slums are concentrated, with worst socioeconomic indicators, presented higher homicide index. On the other hand, the two groups with better income and education levels presented lower homicide indexes, however, with very differentiated homicide levels between them. When analyzing the municipality by microareas of three homicide index levels, the indicators: household crowding, income, education and age, presented wider differences among microareas, although with large internal variability. Police stations and schools were unequally distributed throughout homicide index microareas. The microareas classification through socioeconomic indicators presented a limited capability to identify exposed groups. Socioeconomic conditions by themselves did not determine the violent behaviors. Other factors can have an important participation in the determination of violence depending on each local combination of factors. New indicators must be incorporated for the precise differentiation of vulnerable groups. The used spatial analysis methods allowed the identification of microareas that concentrate deaths. The target populations should be focused by actions aiming to prevent violent deaths.

A presente pesquisa, valendo-se do método de pesquisa-ação, objetiva propor ações que possam ser implementadas para a melhora na eficácia da investigação de homicídios na cidade de Curitiba, atualmente realizada pela Divisão de Homicídios e Proteção à Pessoa (DHPP-PR). Para tanto se realizou pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo nas divisionais de homicídio de São Paulo e Curitiba. Dissertou-se acerca da relação do Estado, governo e administração pública com a segurança pública; sobre as noções históricas da polícia de segurança, com sua definição. Apresentou-se a taxionomia das diversas polícias atuantes no Brasil. Discorreu-se sobre o conceito de violência e constatou-se seu espraiamento para regiões antes mais seguras. Por fim, verificaram-se as práticas da Departamento Estadual de Homicídios e de Proteção à Pessoa (DHPP-SP) e as melhores ações, comparando-as às práticas da DHPP-PR de Curitiba, apontando os problemas identificados e propondo ações passíveis de solucioná-los. / This research, taking advantage of the method of research-action aims to propose actions that can be implemented to improve the effectiveness of the investigation of homicides in the city of Curitiba, currently held by Homicide Division and Protection of Persons (DHPP-PR). Held bibliographic and field research in the divisional murder of São Paulo and Curitiba. Disserted on the relationship of the state, government and public administration to public security; on the historical notions of security police with their definition. Presented the taxonomy of the various active security police in Brazil. Discoursed about the concept of violence and found out before its spreading to safer areas. Finally, there were the practices of the State Department of Homicide and Protection of Persons (DHPP-SP) and its best actions, comparing them to the practices of DHPP-PR from Curitiba, pointing out the problems identified and proposing actions that could solve them.

A presente pesquisa, valendo-se do método de pesquisa-ação, objetiva propor ações que possam ser implementadas para a melhora na eficácia da investigação de homicídios na cidade de Curitiba, atualmente realizada pela Divisão de Homicídios e Proteção à Pessoa (DHPP-PR). Para tanto se realizou pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo nas divisionais de homicídio de São Paulo e Curitiba. Dissertou-se acerca da relação do Estado, governo e administração pública com a segurança pública; sobre as noções históricas da polícia de segurança, com sua definição. Apresentou-se a taxionomia das diversas polícias atuantes no Brasil. Discorreu-se sobre o conceito de violência e constatou-se seu espraiamento para regiões antes mais seguras. Por fim, verificaram-se as práticas da Departamento Estadual de Homicídios e de Proteção à Pessoa (DHPP-SP) e as melhores ações, comparando-as às práticas da DHPP-PR de Curitiba, apontando os problemas identificados e propondo ações passíveis de solucioná-los. / This research, taking advantage of the method of research-action aims to propose actions that can be implemented to improve the effectiveness of the investigation of homicides in the city of Curitiba, currently held by Homicide Division and Protection of Persons (DHPP-PR). Held bibliographic and field research in the divisional murder of São Paulo and Curitiba. Disserted on the relationship of the state, government and public administration to public security; on the historical notions of security police with their definition. Presented the taxonomy of the various active security police in Brazil. Discoursed about the concept of violence and found out before its spreading to safer areas. Finally, there were the practices of the State Department of Homicide and Protection of Persons (DHPP-SP) and its best actions, comparing them to the practices of DHPP-PR from Curitiba, pointing out the problems identified and proposing actions that could solve them.

INTRODUÇÃO: O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal avaliar o impacto dos feriados do Natal e Ano Novo na mortalidade por doença coronariana, AVC, insuficiência cardíaca, acidente de transporte, suicídio e homicídio na cidade de São Paulo, 1996 a 2009. Os objetivos secundários foram investigar outras efemérides, como carnaval, copa do mundo e rebaixamento de times paulistas (Corinthians e Palmeiras), ataque do PCC no ano de 2006. Além disso, foram investigadas associações entre variáveis ambientais, culturais com a mortalidade, como sazonalidade, dia da semana, atributos do clima e poluentes atmosféricos. MÉTODOS: Estudo ecológico e retrospectivo. Os dados diários de mortalidade foram obtidos pelo PRO-AIM. O estudo realizou três tipos de análise: (1) comparação de médias; (2) tendência; (3) regressão linear. Análise de variância (ANOVA) com teste post hoc de Bonferroni foi utilizada para comparar a média de mortes entre as estações do ano e entre os dias da semana. O nível de significância adotado foi de 0,05. No caso das efemérides, foi utilizado o mesmo teste (ANOVA) para comparar com a média de mortes da data controle. A análise de tendência foi realizada pelo programa joinpoint regression. Foi considerada a média de mortes por semana epidemiológica ao longo do ano (53 semanas) bem como os dias próximos ao Natal e Ano novo. O objetivo dessa análise foi identificar alguma alteração das mortes no período do Natal e Ano novo. Para a análise da associação entre mortalidade e variáveis ambientais, foram escolhidos dois períodos do ano: 24 de dezembro a 1 de janeiro e 24 de junho a 2 de julho. Foram calculadas as médias anuais para cada causa de morte bem como de cada variável ambiental, ano a ano. Foi utilizado teste para o coeficiente de correlação e regressão linear para estimar as associações. RESULTADOS: Foi identificado um excesso de homicídio no período do Natal e Ano novo para o sexo masculino e total. Considerando-se apenas o feriado (25 de dezembro e 1 de janeiro) o excesso de homicídio foi de 7,81 (p<0,01) mortes para o total. As demais efemérides não apresentaram diferença significativa em relação às respectivas datas de controle. A análise de variância, para o grupo de doenças cardiovasculares, identificou um pico significativo de mortes no inverno. Suicídio e homicídio apresentaram picos nas estações quentes. Acidente de transporte não apresentou padrão definido. Quanto ao dia da semana, doença coronariana apresentou excesso de mortes na segunda-feira, insuficiência na terça-feira. AVC não apresentou padrão definido. Homicídio e acidente de transporte apresentaram maior frequência de mortes aos finais de semana. Suicídio apresentou picos no domingo e segunda-feira. A análise de tendência identificou um pico no meio do ano, correspondente ao inverno, para mortes por doenças cardiovasculares. Acidente de transporte apresentou queda no período do Natal e Ano novo. Considerando-se os dias próximos ao Natal e Ano novo, não foi identificada nenhuma alteração da tendência. Na análise de regressão, para doença coronariana, foi identificada associação negativa com a temperatura mínima e positiva com NO2, para o total e sexo masculino. CONCLUSÃO: Foi identificado um pico significativo de homicídios no Natal e Ano novo, que pode ser explicado parcialmente pela teoria de atividade de rotina. Quanto à sazonalidade os resultados condizem com a literatura, ou seja, mortes por doenças cardiovasculares mais frequentes no inverno, suicídio e homicídio no verão. Em relação ao dia da semana foram identificados alguns resultados diferenciados, como maior ocorrência de mortes por insuficiência cardíaca as terças-feiras e suicídio aos domingos e segundas-feiras / INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Christmas and New Years holidays in the mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, traffic accidents, suicide and homicide in the city of São Paulo, 1996 to 2009. Secondary objectives were to investigate other ephemerides, like carnival, world cup and demotion of the football teams (Corinthians and Palmeiras), PCC attack in 2006. In addition, we investigated associations between environmental and cultural variables with mortality, as seasonality, day of week, weather and air pollutants. METHODS: An ecological and retrospective study. The daily mortality data were obtained through PRO-AIM. The study conducted three types of analysis: (1) comparison of means, (2) trend, (3) linear regression. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc test was used to compare the average number of deaths between seasons and between the day of the week. The level of significance was 0.05. In the case of the ephemeris, we used the same test (ANOVA) to compare with the deaths with the control period. A trend analysis was performed by the joinpoint regression program. It was considered the average of deaths per epidemiological week throughout the year (53 weeks) and the days near Christmas and New Year. The purpose of this analysis was to identify any changes in the deaths during this period. For the analysis of association between mortality and environmental variables were chosen two periods of the year: December 24 to January 1 and June 24 to July 2. Annual averages were calculated for each cause of death as well as each environmental variable from year to year. Test was used for the coefficient of correlation and linear regression to estimate associations. RESULTS: An excess of homicide in the period around Christmas and New Year was identified for males and total. Considering only the holiday (December 25 and January 1) the excess of homicide was 7.81 (p <0.01) for total deaths. Other ephemerides did not differ significantly from their respective control dates. The analysis of variance for the group of cardiovascular disease, identified a significant peak of deaths in winter. Suicide and homicide peaked in the warm seasons. Transport accident showed no definite pattern. Considering the day of the week, coronary heart disease showed an excess of deaths on Monday, heart failure on Tuesday. Stroke showed no definite pattern. Homicide and transport accident deaths were more frequent on weekends. Suicide peaks were on Sunday and Monday. Trend analysis identified a peak in the middle of the year, corresponding to winter, only to deaths from cardiovascular disease. Traffic accidents decreased during the Christmas and New Year. Considering the days near Christmas and New Year, no change was identified. In regression analysis, coronary heart disease was negatively associated with minimum temperatura and positively with NO2, for the total and male. CONCLUSION: We identified a significant spike of homicides in the Christmas and New Year, which can be partially explained by the theory of routine activity. The seasonality results consistent with the literature, ie, deaths from cardiovascular disease more common in winter, suicide and homicide in the summer. Regarding the day of the week have been identified differing results, as higher incidence of deaths from heart failure on Tuesdays and suicide on Sunday and Monday

Although male perpetration of violence against female partners is a global concern, there continues to be insufficient research attention on this phenomenon. The current study aimed at exploring experiences of male perpetrators of violence against their female partners in intimate relationships. The specific objectives were to get an understanding of the reasons and beliefs contributing towards perpetration of domestic violence, explore the barriers that perpetrators encounter with regard to receiving reformative support, and to suggest possible strategies that can be adopted to reduce or prevent domestic violence. Adopting a qualitative approach, data were obtained through in-depth interviews and participant observations involving 22 convicted male perpetrators in the Nsawam Prisons in the Eastern Region of Ghana, followed by interviews with stakeholders at the offices of the Domestic Violence & Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data. Each transcript went through a thorough analysis to extract themes which were subsequently Synchronised. Overall, the findings from the present study elucidated some theoretical and practical implications. It reveals the following major themes: perception of inequality between sexes, bride price, childhood experience/witness of abuse, and victim blaming as contributory factors to the phenomenon of male violence against women. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

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