Youth Homicide: A Review of the Literature and a Blueprint for Action

Abstract

This article first synthesizes the literature on clinical and empirical findings related to youth homicide. Thereafter, it reviews the literature with respect to the treatment of juvenile homicide offenders. Although a large body of literature exists, many questions regarding etiology, associated risk factors, intervention strategies, and long-term outcomes remain unanswered. The article concludes with recommendations to guide future research efforts with the aim of increasing understanding of etiological factors associated with juvenile homicide and designing effective intervention strategies. Greater advances in knowledge will follow with the implementation of enhanced methodological designs that examine juvenile homicide across four distinct time frames: the years preceding the homicide, the time period immediately following the homicide, the incarcerative or treatment period, and the post-release period.

An exploration of the current knowledge on young people who kill: A systematic review

“…According to Rodway et al (2011), approximately 12% of homicides in Canada are committed by young people per year, 10% in the United States of America (USA), 8% in Finland, and 6% in England and Wales. Despite being a rare event, a number of empirical studies have been conducted in an effort to understand the offence, motivations and characteristics of these young offenders (see Heide, 2003 for a summary). However, these studies tend to be diverse in content and primarily comprised of case studies (Heide, 2003).…”

“…Despite being a rare event, a number of empirical studies have been conducted in an effort to understand the offence, motivations and characteristics of these young offenders (see Heide, 2003 for a summary). However, these studies tend to be diverse in content and primarily comprised of case studies (Heide, 2003).…”

“…A comprehensive literature review was conducted by Heide (2003), focusing on clinical and empirical findings, as well as the treatment of the offenders. The second literature review (Shumaker & Prinz, 2000) concentrated on the characteristics of pre-teen homicide offenders (under 13 years old).…”

Juvenile life without the possibility of parole: Constitutional but complicated

“…Many of these offenders' backgrounds have included combinations of the following: mental health disorders, developmental delays, substance abuse, maltreatment, and severe family dysfunction (Fenderich, Mackesy-Amiti, Goldstein, Spunt, & Brownstein, 1995;Heide, 2003;Heide et al, 2011;Hill-Smith, Hugo, Hughes, Fonagy, & Hartman, 2002;Myers & Scott, 1998;Zagar, Busch, Grove, & Hughes, 2009). For some of these offenders, these difficulties were experienced during both childhood and adolescence, compounding the problems (Mallett, 2003).…”

“…It would be important in working with youthful offenders to identify as early as possible the risk and disability areas and to ad dress these difficulties preventatively. It may be possible to divert many adolescents before the commission of a serious felony or homi cide, thus triggering automatic transfer laws and the possibility of LWOP sentencing; in particular since most serious youthful offenders have a significant delinquent and offending past, including detention and incarceration (Heide, 2003;Howell, 2003;Redding, 2010).…”