Public perceptions of the seriousness of victim-precipitated homicides: An empirical analysis of the consensus model of the law on homicide in Israel

Criminal statutes on homicide widely support the consensus model of the criminal law. The present study attempted to ascertain whether the typical lack of recognition of victim-precipitated homicide as a separate, less serious category of homicide by criminal statutes reflects public views on this issue. To this end, a representative sample of the Israeli population was requested to evaluate the seriousness of various precipitated and non-precipitated homicide scenarios. The findings show that the role played by the victims in their own lethal victimization had a limited effect on respondents' perceptions, thus providing additional support for the consensus model of the criminal law on homicide.