Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation

Front Cover
SAGE Publications, 2005 M07 27 - 192 pages

Suicide is an ageless concern that has been with us as long as man has existed. Forbidden by all religions, suicide has nonetheless become such a practical problem that it is now an everyday concern, resulting in more annual deaths than homicide. Suicide must be seen as a societal and personal problem—it is a complex act with no simple explanation. The motivation is multifaceted, often not understood by the family or by other survivors.

Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation is the only text available in paperback form that offers an accessible overview of suicide in the United States. Written by Ronald M. Holmes and Stephen T. Holmes, two of the foremost authors of murder and violent crime books in the world, this book examines the social problem and criminal justice concerns of suicide from unique perspectives. The authors discuss the various forms of suicide and analyze the latest data on regional differences and how gender, marital status, occupation, health, drug use, and religion all influence the practice of suicide.

Key Features:

  • Analyzes suicide letters to provide students with unique perspectives not found in other books
  • Covers investigative techniques that will be of interest to professionals and students alike
  • Includes carefully selected photos to explicate the material covered
  • Categorizes suicide into different types including anomic, egoistic, altruistic, and fatalistic to distinguish the various reasons for which people have taken their own lives
  • Integrates notes within the chapters to show the state of mind for those who commit suicide
  • Explores learnings from suicidal behavior to help readers recognize how better to prevent the practice


Suicide is designed for undergraduate and graduate courses in departments of Criminology, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Forensic Science. In addition, it can also be used for a variety of other courses, including Psychopathology, Sociology of Deviance, Abnormal Psychology, and Violent Crimes. This book will also be of interest to anyone looking for a clear understanding of the extent of suicide in the United States.

 

Selected pages

Contents

Chapter 1 Suicide in the United States
1
What Is Suicide?
2
Suicide Attempts
5
Suicide and the Survivors
12
Conclusion
13
Chapter 2 History and Suicide
15
Selected Historical Analysis of Suicide
17
Emerging Ideas on Suicide
24
What to Look for in Older Adults and HomicideSuicide
77
Family Violence and Suicide Among Adolescents
79
A Typology and Analysis
81
Categories of Suicide Notes and Letters
82
Implications of Suicide Notes for Suicide Investigation
96
Chapter 8 Selected Atypical Suicides
99
PhysicianAssisted Suicide
100
Who Are the Patients in PhysicianAssisted Suicides?
102

Conclusion
25
Chapter 3 Theories and Types of Suicide
27
Durkheims Suicide Typology
28
Types of Suicide
30
Selected Theories of Suicide
33
Conclusion
37
Chapter 4 Youth and Suicide
39
Statistics on Suicide
41
Family Stability and Suicide
42
Mental Health and Youth Suicide
44
Youth Suicide and Correctional Facilities
45
Youth Suicide and Substance Abuse
46
Previous Attempted Suicides and Completed Suicides
47
Youth Suicide and Sexual and Physical Abuse
48
Screening Programs and Youth Suicide
49
Chapter 5 Suicide and the Elderly
51
Elderly Suicide and Statistics
58
Elderly Suicide and Physical Health
60
Elderly Suicide and Psychological Health
61
Conclusion
65
Chapter 6 Suicide and Violence Among Intimates
67
Violence Among Intimates
68
Battered Partners Violence and Partner HomicideSuicide
70
Cults and Mass Suicide
104
Terrorism
109
Conclusion
110
Chapter 9 Suicide Investigation
113
Selfinflicted Gunshot Wounds
114
Hanging
117
Poisons
118
SelfSmothering
121
Selfinflicted Knife Wounds
122
Drowning
123
Intentional Traffic Crashes
124
Railroad Accidents
125
Conclusion
126
Chapter 10 Depression Drugs Alcohol and Suicide
127
Conclusion
136
Chapter 11 Suicide and the Future
139
How to Get Better
147
Organizations for Help
149
Conclusion
150
References
153
Index
165
About the Authors
177
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation
Ronald M. Holmes,Stephen T. Holmes
Limited preview - 2005
Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation
Ronald M. Holmes,Stephen T. Holmes
Limited preview - 2005
Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation
Ronald M. Holmes,Stephen T. Holmes
Limited preview - 2005
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Common terms and phrases

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About the author (2005)

Ronald M. Holmes is Coroner, in the Jefferson County Coroner′s office and Professor Emeritus of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville. He is the author of several books, among them Profiling Violent Crimes, Sex Crimes, and Serial Murder. He is also the author of more than 50 articles appearing in scholarly publications. He is Vice President of the National Center for the Study of Unresolved Homicides and has completed more than 500 psychological profiles for police departments across the United States. He received his doctorate from Indiana University. is Coroner, in the Jefferson County Coroner′s office and Professor Emeritus of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville. He is the author of several books, among them and He is also the author of more than 50 articles appearing in scholarly publications. He is Vice President of the National Center for the Study of Unresolved Homicides and has completed more than 500 psychological profiles for police departments across the United States. He received his doctorate from Indiana University.

Stephen T. Holmes is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida. Prior to this position, he was a social science analyst for the National Institute of Justice in Washington, D.C. He has authored 6 books and more than 15 articles dealing with policing, drug testing, probation and parole issues, and violent crime. He received his doctorate from the University of Cincinnati.

Bibliographic information

TitleSuicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation
AuthorsRonald M. Holmes, Stephen T. Holmes
PublisherSAGE Publications, 2005
ISBN1452264201, 9781452264202
Length192 pages
  
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