Blind-Sided

While print and broadcast media are filled every day with homicide accounts, the general public seems most disturbed by crimes attributed to individuals who otherwise seem normal. Murders by those perceived to be historically non-violent often appear to erupt with no warning whatsoever. Moffatt argues that certain key predictors of a predisposition to violence are usually present. Citing case studies of workplace, school, and domestic homicides, he debunks the myth that these murders happen out of the blue. He also includes valuable information on predicting and preventing future tragedies.

This book explains why friends and colleagues who knew the perpetrators of violence overlooked or misunderstood warning signs, and it addresses the role that mental illness often plays in such crimes. Chapters are devoted to homicide in the workplace, domestic homicide, stalkers who kill, and homicide by children, including an entire chapter on the Columbine High School shooting. Using his experience as an educator, researcher, and clinician, Moffatt demonstrates how to identify the historically non-violent murderer through a process of risk assessment before a crime is committed. He also describes seven common mistakes people make that have resulted in one or more deaths.

Details early warning signs that are often overlooked during risk assessment by looking at homicides undertaken by the historically non-violent offender.

Library Journal

Here is a book that focuses on homicides by "historically nonviolent" persons and serves as a guide to intervention and prevention. Moffatt (a clinician, part-time psychology professor, and lecturer) utilizes a large number of recent case studies and derives many general conclusions regarding this specific category of homicide. The idea that certain homicides come "out of the blue" is strongly challenged by Moffatt, who argues that nearly all perpetrators have histories of violence that were usually not documented as warning signs of potentially dangerous behavior. Moffatt identifies four specific triggers that lead individuals to commit murders: poor coping skills, dysfunctional thinking, mental illness, and an attempt to capture, maintain, or regain power. Proper diagnosis of these behaviors allows for potentially successful intervention. Beyond that, this extremely interesting book describes various techniques (e.g., watching for clues, not ignoring warning signs) that all persons can learn in order to keep from being "blind-sided" themselves by seemingly unpredictable tragic events. Strongly recommended for public and academic libraries.--Tim Delaney, Canisius Coll., Buffalo Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

GREGORY K. MOFFATT has been a college professor for 15 years.