NCJ Number
176761
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 43 Issue: 6 Dated: November 1998 Pages: 1112-1118
Date Published
1998
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper describes a case in which a woman murdered her newborn daughter, discusses the causes, critically examines the current systems of classifying child-killing behavior, proposes a multilevel typology to aid a more comprehensive analysis of the relevant homicidal behavior, and discusses the use of standard psychiatric criteria.
Abstract
The perpetrator was an 18-year-old white Hispanic female who delivered a baby girl while sitting on the toilet and flushed the toilet to try to conceal the baby. The court-ordered psychiatric-legal evaluation revealed that the woman had never received psychiatric treatment, had no history of serious nonpsychiatric illnesses, had no alcohol or drug abuse problems, and had no criminal history. Current classification systems for analyzing such cases are limited in their validity and usefulness, because they are characterized by significantly arbitrary as well as redundant contingencies. A more appropriate taxonomy is proposed that incorporates a multilevel approach that encompasses diagnostic, behavioral, developmental, and psychosociocultural/ecological factors. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) has introduced the outline for assessing cultural factors in diagnostic and psychosocial evaluations. The outline's five sections cover: (1) the cultural identity of the individual, (2) cultural explanations of the individual illness, (3) cultural factors related to the psychosocial environment and levels of functioning, (4) cultural elements of the relationship between the individual and the clinician, and (5) the overall cultural assessment for diagnosis and care. Such an approach permits a more comprehensive analysis of child-killing cases such as the case described. It can also help avoid potential inequities in justice due to lack of consideration of aggravating and mitigating factors. Finally, it can aid appropriate intervention that will reduce the risk such defendants pose when they are released into the community. Table and 26 references