The Allure of Premeditated Murder

Any murder causes pain and suffering that ripple through families and communities-of both the victims and the perpetrators-but premeditated murders cause the worst kind of damage. The Allure of Premeditated Murder is about the worst kinds of premeditated homicide in which the perpetrator plans an attack over a period of days, weeks, or months, leaving behind massive carnage and unspeakable suffering. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with murderers, sociologists Jack Levin and Julie B. Wiest help readers understand why such vicious murders occur and what we can do to minimize their incidence. Throughout the book, theyexamine why people engage in acts of premeditated murder-planning and implementing terrible violence against others-from the perpetrator's viewpoint. By juxtaposing the motivations for these hideous homicides against everyday social circumstances, these often-baffling crimes are explained in an easy-to-understand manner that paves the way for promising solutions. In the process of examining the characteristics of premeditated murder, the book also addresses those questions that are commonly asked about this kind of violent crime but usually unanswered. How could a killer have enjoyed his murderous rampage when he committed suicide right afterward? Why do sadistic killers sometimes regard their murders as great accomplishments? What can be done to effectively reduce the likelihood of this kind of homicide? As violence remains such a prominent and troubling topic nationwide, The Allure of Premeditated Murder successfully explores the reasons behind the worst violence as well as the most promising solutions.

Jack Levin is the Brudnick Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology at Northeastern University, where he co-directs its Center on Violence and Conflict. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 books, most recently Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder, The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder, and The Violence of Hate: Understanding Harmful Forms of Bias and Bigotry. Julie B. Wiest is an Associate Professor of Sociology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She authored Creating Cultural Monsters: Serial Murder in America, as well as scholarly articles examining the influence of gender roles in court case outcomes of filicidal parents; media coverage of serial murder, mass murder, and active shooters; and public interest in serial and mass murder.

Acknowledgments The Most Hideous Homicides: An Introduction Chapter 1: Planning Is the Payoff Chapter 2: Going Out in a Blaze of Glory Chapter 3:The Thrill of the Hunt Chapter 4: Mind over Murder Chapter 5: Justice Is in the Weapon of the Beholder Chapter 6: Helping Yourself to Murder Chapter 7: Death for Dollars Chapter 8: Prevention: What Works and What Doesn't Work Chapter 9: An Epidemic of Epidemic Thinking About the Authors