Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures

A Psychological and Behavioral Analysis

J. Reid Meloy, Lorraine Sheridan, and Jens Hoffmann

Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures is a comprehensive survey of the current knowledge about stalking, violence risk, and threat management towards public figures. With contributions from forensic psychologists, clinicians, researchers, attorneys, and current and former law enforcement professionals, this book is the first of its kind, international in scope, and rich in both depth and complexity.

Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures

A Psychological and Behavioral Analysis

J. Reid Meloy, Lorraine Sheridan, and Jens Hoffmann

Description

Public figures require attention, whether from a constituency who votes them in or out of office, shareholders who decide their economic benefit to the corporation, or fans who judge their performances. However, on the periphery of this normal attention resides a very real risk; that of a much smaller group of individuals who lack the ability to discriminate between their own private fantasies and the figure's public behavior. They may be personally insulted by perceived betrayal, fanatically in love due to a perceived affectionate or sexual invitation, or simply preoccupied with the daily life of the public figure. Such individuals may fixate and do nothing more. Others communicate or approach in a disturbing way. A few will threaten. And on rare occasions, one will breach the public figure's security perimeter and attack.

Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures is a comprehensive survey of the current knowledge about stalking, violence risk, and threat management towards public figures. With contributions from forensic psychologists and psychiatrists, clinicians, researchers, attorneys, profilers, and current and former law enforcement professionals, this book is the first of its kind, international in scope, and rich in both depth and complexity.

The book is divided into three sections which, in turn, focus upon defining, explaining, and risk managing this increasingly complex global reality. Chapters include detailed case studies, analyses of quantitative data, reflections from attachment theory and psychoanalytic thought, descriptions of law enforcement and protective organization activities, mental health and psychiatric categorizations and understandings, consideration of risk assessment models and variables, victim perspectives, and others.

Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures

A Psychological and Behavioral Analysis

J. Reid Meloy, Lorraine Sheridan, and Jens Hoffmann

Foreword. Robert Fein and Bryan Vossekuil
1. Public Figures Stalking: The State of the Science, J. Reid Meloy, Lorraine Sheridan, Jens Hoffmann
Section I: Defining the Risk
2. A Forensic Investigation of Those Who Stalk Celebrities, J. Reid Meloy, Kris Mohandie, Mila Green McGowan
3. The Role of Psychotic Illness in Attacks on Public Figures, Paul E. Mullen, David V. James, J. Reid Meloy, Michele T. Pathe, Frank R. Farnham, Lulu Preston, Brian Darnley
4. Homicidal Celebrity Stalkers: Dangerous Obsessions with Nonpolitical Public Figures, Louis B. Schlesinger, V. Blair Mesa
5. On Public Figure Howlers, Frederick S. Calhoun, Stephen W. Weston
6. Stalking, Threatening and Attacking Corporate Figures, Jens Hoffmann, Lorraine Sheridan
7. The Public Figure Assassin as Terrorist, James Biesterfeld, J. Reid Meloy
Section II: Explaining the Risk
8. Contributions from Attachment Theory and Pschoanalysis to Advance Understanding of Public Figure Stalking and Attacking, Jens Hoffmann, J. Reid Meloy
9. Celebrities as Victims of Stalking, Jens Hoffmann, Lorraine Sheridan
10. Psychopathy and Predatory Stalking of Public Figures, Mary Ellen O'Toole, Sharon S. Smith, Robert D. Hare
11. Two Case Studies of Corporate-Celebrity Victims: The Stalking of Steven Spielberg and Stephen Wynn, J. Reid Meloy, Kris Mohandie
12. Toward the Measurement and Profiling of Celebrity Worship, John Maltby, David Giles
13. Fanning the Flames of Fandom: Celebrity Worship, Parasocial Interaction, and Stalking, Brian H. Spitzberg, William R. Cupach
Section III: Managing the Risk
14. Operations of the LAPD Threat Management Unit, Jeff Dunn
15. Risk Assessment of Public Figure Stalkers, P. Randall Kropp, Stephen D. Hart, David R. Lyon
16. Preventing Assassination: Psychiatric Consultation to the United States Secret Service, Robert T.M. Phillips
17. Offender Profiling and Celebrity Stalking Cases, Karl Roberts
18. Prosecuting Celebrity Stalkers, Rhonda Saunders, Sean Wainwright
19. Use of Threat Assessment for the Protection of the United States Congress, Mario J. Scalora, William Zimmerman, David G. Wells
20. From Violent Words to Violent Deeds: Assessing Risk from FBI Threating Communication Cases, Sharon S. Smith
Index

Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures

A Psychological and Behavioral Analysis

J. Reid Meloy, Lorraine Sheridan, and Jens Hoffmann

Reviews and Awards

"This would be a wonderful acquisition for individuals working in forensic and/or correctional environments. The editors and contributors are the movers and shakers in the field, an international collection of social scientists, law enforcement, and legal experts."--Doody's Health Sciences Review

Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures

A Psychological and Behavioral Analysis

J. Reid Meloy, Lorraine Sheridan, and Jens Hoffmann

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By J. Reid Meloy, Ph.D. As the debate concerning public and social policy surrounding gun control intensifies, I would like to offer some comments on the identification of individuals who concern us as potential perpetrators of planned killing(s). These thoughts are from the trenches of threat assessment, and do not address or offer opinions concerning the larger policy issues we face as a country regarding firearms and public mental health care ' one of which is highly emotionally charged and the other sorely neglected.

Posted on December 18, 2012

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The seven myths of mass murder

For the past 15 years my colleagues and I have researched mass murder; the intentional killing of three or more individuals, during one event. Recent cases of mass murder have pointed to misconceptions about this rare and frightening act, and I would like to shed some light on some common myths.

Posted on September 28, 2012

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