Filicide: A gendered profile of offender, victim, and event characteristics in a national sample of reported incidents, 1995–2009

Abstract

Filicide is the intentional act of a parent killing their own child. Encompassing both neonaticide (victims less than a day old), and infanticide (victims less than a year old), filicide is often defined to include biological and stepparents as offenders with victims under the age of 18. As the risk of becoming a victim of homicide is greatest during the first year of life, and parents or stepparents are the most likely perpetrators, there is a pressing need for further research in this area. Existing work has been limited by definitional variation, small sample sizes, and inconsistent or conflicting findings. Furthermore, there is a notable lack of research incorporating a comparison of maternal versus paternal filicide. The present exploratory and descriptive study examines a large sample of reported incidents, using 15 years of National Incident-Based Reporting System data (1995 to 2009), to provide a much needed and more comprehensive source of aggregate-level baseline information on this understudied violent crime. Presenting a comparison of maternal and paternal filicide, basic demographic characteristics including victim/offender age, sex and race are explored in relation to incident characteristics including, substance abuse, location, and weapon usage.

Keywords::

• infanticide
• filicide
• victimization
• family violence

Notes

^1. The states and subsequently counties participating in NIBRS data reporting have steadily increased since its 1989 implementation. From 9 states comprising 481 counties (4% of the population) in 1995 to 32 states and D.C. comprising 7799 agencies in 2012, the increasing annual participation by states and counties in the NIBRS reporting program presents difficulties for longitudinal pattern and trend analyses. The present work uses the NIBRS data in the aggregate and is therefore less impacted by annual changes in participation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shane Dixon

Shane Dixon is a graduate student in the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University. He has served as a graduate assistant and has participated in several research projects. His areas of research interest include prison policy and treatment of special inmate populations.

Jessie L. Krienert

Jessie Krienert is a Professor of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University. Her areas of research include prison subculture, family violence, and gender issues in correctional and street settings. Dr. Krienert has authored or co-authored three books, more than 20 articles, and several book chapters. Her publications have appeared in Homicide Studies, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Violence and Victims, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, and the Journal of Family Violence.

Jeffrey Walsh

Jeffrey A. Walsh is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University. His publications have appeared in the Journal of Homicide Studies, Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Journal of Criminal Justice, Journal of Family Violence, and the Journal of Aggression Maltreatment and Trauma. Dr. Walsh has also published several book chapters.