Youthful parricide: child abuse is not the primary motivator (invited paper)

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share nascent theory, suggesting there are five types of parricide offenders. The old theories are not valid: child abuse is not the primary motivator for parricide events. Design/methodology/approach This research draws on archival data derived from public sources (i.e. court records, offender statements, newspapers, etc.). Findings Child abuse is not the primary motivator for youthful parricide events. However, it appears to remain a factor in the parricide equation. The Good Child Postulate romanticizes youthful parricide offenders and could introduce potentially harmful positive bias into investigations, trials and treatment. The nascent theory suggests the five fatal personality clusters for youthful parricide offenders. Research limitations/implications The identified clusters are still being developed and statistically validated. More research and analysis is needed to delimit, refine and verify the five fatal personality types of parricide offenders and to create a clear, cohesive theory. Practical implications Murder in general has decreased over the past decade, parricides have not. A better understanding of the phenomena may help to slow the rate of parricide events. Law enforcement, natal families and the courts can help to improve rehabilitative outcomes if children could be recognized as the type of killer they are and treated differently during the investigative and defense phases of their cases. For example, if parents are placed on trial (i.e. are used by defense to mitigate/excuse the murders), some types of children will adopt the defense arguments laid out in court and feel no need for rehabilitation at all. Families of the murdered parents can come to a better understanding of what has happened – allowing them to grieve without being forced to defend the murder of their love one. This research serves as further correction for the promulgation of the notion that all parents who are victims of youthful parricide abused the perpetrator, thereby causing their own deaths. This does occur on occasion, but is not a complete picture of the phenomenon. Social implications Although murder, in general, has decreased over the past decade, parricides have not. The standing typology stymies fresh research and researcher’s abilities to explore models that may help to teach parents, law enforcement and other caring members of society how to prevent parricides in the future. Additionally, the Good Child Postulate works to create positive bias in the courtroom as attorneys for well-off, white children can easily build an imperfect defense for a population that is not actually the abused population. This has many social justice implications. Originality/value This information can be utilized by law enforcement, attorneys, the courts, parents and the prisons/therapeutic settings to better meet the needs of the youthful parricide offender.