NCJ Number
227574
Journal
Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: 2009 Pages: 55-74
Date Published
2009
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article discusses four domestic murder cases from 19th century Sweden in terms of the penal responsibility issues involved and the way these issues were related to legal, religious, medical, and some popular normative standards.
Abstract
The key question in this article is why the outcomes of four domestic murder cases of a similar character differed. The different outcomes illustrate a recurring problem, namely how to reconcile ideas emanating from various professional traditions and standards. This is of current interest as evidenced by the number of recent cases where a legal way of thinking is sometimes contrary to prevalent medical ones. The four domestic murder cases are described: a man killing his child or children, and in one case also his wife. These homicides occurred in three neighboring rural parishes in northern Sweden in the mid-19th century within a period of 20 years. The four offenders showed all the signs of being seriously mentally deranged; three of them made either unsuccessful attempts to commit suicide or expressed the intention of committing suicide. The motives of the offenders included elements of a father's wanting to spare his children from social, economic, or religious suffering. References