NCJ Number
153939
Date Published
1994
Length
247 pages
Annotation
This book develops the argument that although there are dissimilarities between homicide and suicide, there is much to be gained from revitalizing the theory developed by Henry and Short; namely, that there are numerous issues related to lethal violence that can be better addressed by working from an integrated model that emphasizes the similarities between self-directed and other- directed lethal violence.
Abstract
Following the introductory chapter, a chapter reviews the early history of the stream analogy, i.e., the idea that homicide and suicide are linked, as it was developed in Europe by the moral statisticians; it discusses Durkheim's criticism of the analogy. The next chapter examines the revival of interest in the stream analogy, which lasted from the late 1940's through 1972. Another chapter reviews the literature on lethal violence circa 1972-92. A basic premise of this chapter is that although interest in human violence is not lacking either among the general public or scholars, the studies of suicide and homicide have become separate enterprises. The fifth chapter focuses on recent developments in social psychology, which, although they do not directly address suicide and homicide, seem to the authors to resolve some of the issues raised in a previous chapter and left unresolved in the previous chapter. The subsequent chapter specifies an integrated model of self-directed and other-directed lethal violence that is a modified and updated version of the theoretical perspective developed by Henry and Short. Two chapters present empirical analyses derived from the model, and the concluding chapter provides a recapitulation and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the stream analogy. Additional related research is suggested. Chapter notes, 527 references, and a subject index