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From Caring to Killing:

A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers

Published Date: 16.6.2025

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Theme: Caring and society

Sub-theme: Social value of caring

Carer burden Elder abuse United Kingdom Review Qualitative data

Verification Statement

This publication / resource is hosted on a publicly available external link. If the full text is not publicly accessible, summary points are included and a contact method for the author(s) is provided, where available.

The summary information presented is based on content submitted by an author or other user
, along with publicly available information about the publication / resource added by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team.

All content is reviewed, edited and approved by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team, in line with our Submission Guidelines.


To report an issue or request a change, please complete our Feedback Form.

 

Theme: Caring and society

Sub-theme: Social value of caring

View Publication Carer burden Elder abuse United Kingdom Review Qualitative data

Verification Statement

This publication / resource is hosted on a publicly available external link. If the full text is not publicly accessible, summary points are included and a contact method for the author(s) is provided, where available.

The summary information presented is based on content submitted by an author or other user
, along with publicly available information about the publication / resource added by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team.

All content is reviewed, edited and approved by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team, in line with our Submission Guidelines.


To report an issue or request a change, please complete our Feedback Form.

 

From Caring to Killing:

A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers

Published Date: 16.6.2025

  • Author/ Authors

    Siobhan O’Dwyer, Charlotte Bishop, Rachel Gimson, G. J. Melendez-Torres, Daniel Stevens, Lorna Hardy

  • Suggested citation (APA 7th edition)

    O’Dwyer, Siobhan T., Charlotte Bishop, Rachel Gimson, G. J. Melendez-Torres, Daniel Stevens, and Lorna Hardy. 2025. From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers. Social Sciences 14: 376. https://doi.org/10.3390/ socsci14060376

Long Summary

In the news media, there are regular reports of family caregivers killing the people for whom they care, but scholarly research on this phenomenon is fragmented, and there has been little effort to predict or prevent future deaths. The aim of this study was to develop a typology of caregiver-perpetrated homicides that could provide a framework for more rigorous research and targeted responses in policy and practice. Ideal Type Analysis was applied to sixty-four homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by family caregivers in England and Wales between January 2015 and December 2019. The cases clustered into seven clear types: Ending Suffering; Genuine Burden of Care; Pre-existing Mental Illness; Neglect; Exploitation; Caregiver as Victim of Domestic Violence, Abuse or Coercive Control; and Caregiver as Perpetrator of Domestic Violence, Abuse, or Coercive Control. Each type was characterised by a distinct motive, context, or course of events leading to the homicide. This is the first typology of homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by caregivers. The Caregiver-perpetrated Homicide Typology challenges previous claims that caregiver-perpetrated homicides are isolated events and provides a framework for the development of evidence-based prediction and prevention initiatives.

Author's / Publisher's Contact Details:

s.t.odwyer@bham.ac.uk

c.p.bishop@exeter.ac.uk


    Key Messages for Policy Makers


  • Caregiver-perpetrated homicides are not isolated events unworthy of investigation. They are a distinct phenomenon that requires dedicated research to inform nuanced prediction and prevention initiatives.

    A focus on improving support for caregivers, removing caregiving responsibilities from those who are ill-suited to the role, and tackling male violence more generally, may be more effective than means restriction in preventing homicides perpetrated by caregivers.

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The Carer Knowledge Exchange is led by Carers NSW and proudly funded by the NSW Government. It was established as a partnership between Carers NSW and the Institute for Public Policy and Governance (IPPG) at the University of Technology Sydney from 2021-2024. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.