Fatal Families

The Dynamics of Intrafamilial Homicide

For most Americansùregardless of where they liveùthe risk of being murdered is much greater in their own homes than on any main street on which they are ever likely to walk. Every year, nearly half of the more than 20,0000 homicide victims are related to or acquainted with their killers. Alcohol abuse, mental illness, and criminality figure largely in intrafamilial homicide. But, whatever the scenario behind the murder, murder within families is the most chilling and frightening of all crimes. Fatal Families examines the nature, causes, and consequences of family homicide in modern American society. Using a case study approach, author Charles Patrick Ewing explores the social, cultural, and psychological forces that lead people to kill members of their own families. Drawing on his professional background in both law and psychology, he points the way to measures that can be taken to halt the steady pace of murder within families. Examining a horrifying but necessary topic, Fatal Families will be vitally important to professionals and students in family studies, criminology, interpersonal violence, psychology, social work, and urban studies.