PB3: Forensics Used In Homicide Investigations

Based on the feedback I received from my WP2, I decided it would be best to narrow down my topic a little bit more. Originally, the topic that I chose to focus on was "Is the evidence that comes from the work of forensic scientists enough of a credible source for convictions during homicide investigations?". After doing some more research on this phenomenon and looking deeper into the world of Forensic Science, I've decided to come up with something a bit more clear. Shockingly, St. Louis, Missouri has the highest murder rate at 59.3 murders per 100,00. When I saw that, I couldn't believe my eyes, and it peaked my interest a lot so I decided to add that into my revised WP2 topic. Another thing I decided to do based on my feedback was pick a specific area of Forensics to focus on, which is Forensic Psychology.

My new ACURA proposal is going to be: How does untreated psychosis affect the national homicide crime rate?

Article 1: Enacting Forensics in Homicide Investigations

Keywords: Criminal investigation, forensic science, homicide, prosecutions, criminal justice

Robin Williams & Jason Weetman (2013) Enacting forensics in homicide investigations, Policing and Society, 23:3, 376-389, DOI: 10.1080/10439463.2012.703200

Article 2: Forensic Science as "Risky Business". Identifying Key Risk Factors in the Forensic Process from Crime Scene to Court 

Keywords: criminal justice system, crime scene, criminal investigation, forensic evidence, forensic science, prosecution

Julian, Roberta and Sally F. Kelty. "Forensic Science as “risky Business”: Identifying Key Risk Factors in the Forensic Process from Crime Scene to Court." Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice 1, no. 4 (2015): 195-206,

Article 3: Evidence for a relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis and the proportion of psychotic homicides prior to treatment

Keywords: First episode psychosis, homicide, treatment delay

Large, M. & Nielssen, O. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol (2008) 43: 37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0274-0

Article 4: Rates of Homicide During the First Episode of Psychosis and After Treatment, A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis 

Keywords: homicide, schizophrenia, first-episode psychosis, systematic review, meta-analysis 

Olav Nielssen, Matthew Large; Rates of Homicide During the First Episode of Psychosis and After Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 36, Issue 4, 1 July 2010, Pages 702–712

Article 5: Homicide of Strangers by People with a Psychotic Illness 

Keywords: schizophrenia, psychosis, violence, homicide, risk assessment 

Olav Nielssen, Dominique Bourget, Taina Laajasalo, Marieke Liem, Alain Labelle, Helina Häkkänen-Nyholm, Frans Koenraadt, Matthew M. Large; Homicide of Strangers by People with a Psychotic Illness, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 37, Issue 3, 1 May 2011, Pages 572–579

Article 6: Sane and Insane Homicide 

Keywords: homicide, insanity, plea bargain, psychosis, treatment 

T. C. N. Gibbens, Sane and Insane Homicide, 49 J. Crim. L. Criminology & Police Sci. 110 (1958-1959)


Article 7: Rates of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide 
Keywords: mental disorders, homicide, convictions, schizophrenia, verdict, outcome, symptoms

Shaw, J., Hunt, I., Flynn, S., Meehan, J., Robinson, J., Bickley, H., . . . Appleby, L. (2006). Rates of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide: National clinical survey. British Journal of Psychiatry, 188(2), 143-147. doi:10.1192/bjp.188.2.143