Suicide by Cop- Scripted Behavior Resulting in Police Deadly Force

Annually, approximately 300 deaths in the United States are attributed to police-involved shootings. The legal categorization of these cases is often termedjustifiable homicide. However, closer examination of these cases revealsthat motives of a small percentage of individuals who threaten the policehave been linked to suicide. In a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, the policewere being engaged in life-threatening situations as a means towards an end.In typical American fashion the phenomenon is labeled suicide by cop as aform of shorthand. The purpose of this book is two-fold. First, by presentingresearch of suicide by cop in the form of qualitative analysis allows for therichness of the data to demonstrate how the suicidal drama unfolds and howthe authority of the police is usurped for the insidious purpose of committingsuicide. Second, the theory of victim-scripted suicide will support a generalizationof suicide by cop cases, which is necessary for future research. It willbe through greater understanding that the ability to prevent and/or mitigateincidents with the potential of erupting into a suicide by cop will emerge. Thebook will serve academics, police practitioners, as well as students interestedin advancing their knowledge on the subject of suicide by cop, and will equallyserve to inform those in the medical, mental health, and legal fields.