Invisible harm after lethal violence: Victims of homicide by offenders with mental disorders

Abstract

In examining the relationship between mental disorder and criminal behavior, the research agenda has shifted substantially from a paradigm of dangerousness to one centered on victimization. However, the impact of homicides perpetrated by individuals with mental disorders on victims—particularly regarding limited access to justice and reparation—has remained largely absent from victimological research. Through a review of 2586 homicide cases adjudicated by Spanish courts, of which 278 (10.75%) involved perpetrators with mental disorders, the distinctive characteristics of these cases were examined. Most involved lethal attacks against family members, with 26.1% constituting parricides. A key finding was that these victims received compensation in only a small number of cases, a disadvantage largely attributable to the intrafamilial nature of most incidents. A further shift in the victimization paradigm may therefore redirect attention toward the specific characteristics of this form of victimization—frequently experienced within the perpetrator's immediate family circle—and promote a more preventive, victim-oriented institutional and professional response to such cases.