The psychological and emotional sequelae of committing an act of severe violence

The aim of this thesis is to consider the impact, on the perpetrator, of committing an act of serious violence against another person. The first chapter of this thesis presents a narrative literature review of the impact of killing another person, considering three distinct contexts; as a member of the armed forces, in the line of duty as a police officer and as a criminal act. Research addressing the impact of killing another in these three differing contexts is presented and critiqued, providing a broad summary of the different effects suggested in the literature. A model is then presented that may be relevant in explaining experiences resulting from killing in all three of these contexts. The second chapter of this thesis presents a piece of qualitative research that attempts to further understanding of the impact of committing violence in specific circumstances. It explores the impact of committing a serious act of criminal violence, for individuals who have not committed any prior serious violent offences.