MURDER IN SPACE CITY - A CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF HOUSTON (TX) - HOMICIDE PATTERN

• NCJ Number: 40542
• Author(s): H P LUNDSGAARDE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 279 pages
• Sale Source: Oxford University Press, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF HOMICIDAL BEHAVIOR IN HOUSTON, WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR THE DEATHS OF NEARLY 300 HOUSTONIANS IN 1969, AND EXPLORATION OF WHY MORE THAN HALF THE KILLERS ESCAPED OFFICIAL PUNISHMENT.

Abstract

ALTHOUGH THIS STUDY FOCUSES ON HOUSTON, WHICH HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA HOMICIDE RATES IN THE COUNTRY, IT PROVIDES AN EMPIRICAL BASELINE FOR EXPLAINING AND UNDERSTANDING INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY AT LARGE. THE BOOK MOVES FROM AN OVERVIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN A TYPICAL HOMICIDE CASE, THROUGH THREE CHAPTERS THAT DESCRIBE AND ANALYZE DIFFERENT KILLER-VICTIM RELATIONSHIPS, TO A DISCUSSION OF THE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN LAWFUL, UNLAWFUL, AND LAY CONCEPTIONS OF HOMICIDE. THE SECOND CHAPTER DEALS WITH THE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, SUMMARIZING HOW THE CASES ARE PROCESSED BY THE POLICE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE COURTS, AND THE CORONER'S OFFICE. INCLUDED IN THIS CHAPTER IS A DESCRIPTION OF AN ACTUAL AUTOPSY. THE BULK OF THE TEXT CONCERNS HOMICIDE CASES IN THE CITY FROM 1969. THE CASES ARE CATEGORIZED USING THREE KILLER-VICTIM RELATIONSHIPS - RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES, AND STRANGERS. EACH OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS IS COMPARED TO THE JUDICIAL OUTCOME FOR KILLERS IN EACH CATEGORY. THE STUDY SHOWS HOW THE KILLER-VICTIM RELATIONSHIP DETERMINES THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OUTCOME FOR THE KILLER. THE DATA REVEALS THAT KILLERS IN THE FIRST CATEGORY, RELATIVES, RECEIVE THE LEAST PUNISHMENT, WHILE KILLERS IN THE LAST, STRANGERS, RECEIVE THE MOST. THE FINAL CHAPTER OFFERS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE SANCTIONING THEORY. ADDITIONAL DATA IN THE CHARTS, TABLES, FIGURES, MAPS, AND APPENDIXES ARE CITED IN EACH CHAPTER. ALTHOUGH STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF IMPORTANT AND QUANTIFIABLE VARIABLES IN THE HOUSTON HOMICIDE DATA ARE INCLUDED IN THE BOOK, THE STUDY DELIBERATELY EMPHASIZES A DESCRIPTIVE CASE-BY-CASE ANALYSIS OF ACTUAL HOMICIDES. STATISTICS ARE GIVEN WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH FREQUENCY, VOLUME, AND CORRELATIONAL OCCURRENCES OF QUANTIFIABLE VARIABLES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP