Suicide
eBook - PDF

Suicide

Theory, Practice and Investigation

  1. 192 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Suicide

Theory, Practice and Investigation

About this book

Suicide is an ageless concern that has been with us as long as man has existed. Forbidden by all religions, suicide has nonetheless become such a practical problem that it is now an everyday concern, resulting in more annual deaths than homicide. Suicide must be seen as a societal and personal problem—it is a complex act with no simple explanation. The motivation is multifaceted, often not understood by the family or by other survivors.   

Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation is the only text available in paperback form that offers an accessible overview of suicide in the United States. Written by Ronald M. Holmes and Stephen T. Holmes, two of the foremost authors of murder and violent crime books in the world, this book examines the social problem and criminal justice concerns of suicide from unique perspectives. The authors discuss the various forms of suicide and analyze the latest data on regional differences and how gender, marital status, occupation, health, drug use, and religion all influence the practice of suicide.  

Key Features:

  • Analyzes suicide letters to provide students with unique perspectives not found in other books
  • Covers investigative techniques that will be of interest to professionals and students alike
  • Includes carefully selected photos to explicate the material covered
  • Categorizes suicide into different types including anomic, egoistic, altruistic, and fatalistic to distinguish the various reasons for which people have taken their own lives
  • Integrates notes within the chapters to show the state of mind for those who commit suicide
  • Explores learnings from suicidal behavior to help readers recognize how better to prevent the practice  


Suicide is designed for undergraduate and graduate courses in departments of Criminology, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Forensic Science. In addition, it can also be used for a variety of other courses, including Psychopathology, Sociology of Deviance, Abnormal Psychology, and Violent Crimes. This book will also be of interest to anyone looking for a clear understanding of the extent of suicide in the United States.

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Yes, you can access Suicide by Ronald M. Holmes,Stephen T. Holmes in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Sozialwissenschaften & Kriminologie. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Preface
  6. Chapter 1 - Suicide in the United States
  7. What Is Suicide?
  8. Suicide Attempts
  9. Suicide and the Survivors
  10. Conclusion
  11. Chapter 2 - History and Suicide
  12. Selected Historical Analysis of Suicide
  13. Emerging Ideas on Suicide
  14. Conclusion
  15. Chapter 3 - Theories and Types of Suicide
  16. Emile Durkheim
  17. Durkheim's Suicide Typology
  18. Types of Suicide
  19. Selected Theories of Suicide
  20. Conclusion
  21. Chapter 4 - Youth and Suicide
  22. Statistics on Suicide
  23. Family Stability and Suicide
  24. Mental Health and Youth Suicide
  25. Youth Suicide and Correctional Facilities
  26. Youth Suicide and Substance Abuse
  27. Previous Attempted Suicides and Completed Suicides
  28. Youth Suicide and Sexual and Physical Abuse
  29. Screening Programs and Youth Suicide
  30. Conclusion
  31. Chapter 5 - Suicide and the Elderly
  32. Suicide and the Elderly
  33. Elderly Suicide and Statistics
  34. Elderly Suicide and Physical Health
  35. Elderly Suicide and Psychological Health
  36. Conclusion
  37. Chapter 6 - Suicide and Violence Among Intimates
  38. Violence Among Intimates
  39. Battered Partners, Violence, and Partner Homicide/Suicide
  40. What to Look for in Older Adults and Homicide/Suicide
  41. Family Violence and Suicide Among Adolescents
  42. Conclusion
  43. Chapter 7 - Suicide Letters: A Typology and Analysis
  44. Suicide Notes and Letters
  45. Categories of Suicide Notes and Letters
  46. Implications of Suicide Notes for Suicide Investigation
  47. Conclusion
  48. Chapter 8 - Selected Atypical Suicides
  49. Physician-Assisted Suicide
  50. Who Are the Patients in Physician-Assisted Suicides?
  51. Cults and Mass Suicide
  52. Terrorism
  53. Conclusion
  54. Chapter 9 - Suicide Investigation
  55. Suicide Investigation
  56. Self-inflicted Gunshot Wounds
  57. Hanging
  58. Poisons
  59. Self-Smothering
  60. Self-inflicted Knife Wounds
  61. Jumping
  62. Drowning
  63. Pedestrian Traffic Suicides
  64. Intentional Traffic Crashes
  65. Fire
  66. Railroad Accidents
  67. Conclusion
  68. Chapter 10 - Depression, Drugs, Alcohol, and Suicide
  69. Suicide: The Role of Depression, Alcohol, and Drugs
  70. Conclusion
  71. Chapter 11 - Suicide and the Future
  72. What We Have Learned
  73. How to Get Better
  74. Organizations for Help
  75. Conclusion
  76. References
  77. Index
  78. About the Authors