Antidotes to Murder: A Novel Approach

By John Johnson

   An antidote to murder utilizing a novel approach based on a hypothetical model which resembles the scientific approach used to develop drugs or vaccines sounds intriguing. Let’s assume that society constitutes the laboratory. And the hypothesis reads, “Antidotes Can Be developed to Reduce Specific Types of Murders.” For added clarity and to strategically focus on specific antidotes, murders have  been classified into the  following categories: 1) domestic; 2) gang related; 3) criminal related; and 4) racial (racism) related.

Before identifying the specific hypothetical antidotes prescribed as ways of reducing murders, a simplistic definition/description of each of the categories of murders is as follows:

1.Domestic Murder- Is any murder which occurs between intimate partners or kinfolks;

2.Gang Related Murder – Is when three or more individuals operating under a common name or insignia, kill another person or persons;

3. Contract Murder – Is when an individual hires someone to murder another individual
4. Racial Murder – Is the intentional murder of an individual simply because of race.
5. Serial Murderer – Is a person who murders three or more people; and
6. Lone Wolf Murder – Is an individual motivated by some ideology or deranged belief to commit murder.

Following the definitions for the   categories of murders, it’s important to identify the  categories of antidotes prescribed as  a means of reducing or preventing the murders identified:

Mental Health Counseling/Treatment – Providing talk therapy, sometimes  with medicine, to identify  and change troubling thoughts;

Psychotherapy – Utilizing talk, sometimes with medicine, to identify and change troubling thoughts;

Déjà vu – Utilizing one s awareness as well as own past experiences  to intercede or facilitate depending on   an individual’s propensity/inclination  to commit  murder. This category can be effective because amazingly, murders usually share their thoughts and plans to commit murder;

Cultural Relativism (Anti-ethnocentrism) – Providing cultural sensitivity training in order to  facilitate a greater awareness  and acceptance of others whose  ethnical and social standards may differ from theirs.

To understand how these antidotes might work, each one will be prescribe  as having the possibility of preventing  a crime of murder which fits within one  of the categories identified earlier. However, the greatest impediment to implementing these antidotes will be identifying and getting potential murders to seek help. Further, far too many people with knowledge of  an individual or individuals’ murderous  thoughts/plans,  fail to report such information to the proper authorities. Therefore, it’s recommended that a 24-hour antidote to murder hotline  be established.

For example, let’s subject the recent  “subway shooter” to the ANTIDOTE TO MURDER   approach. This attempted murder falls within the category of Lone Wolf Murderer. Further, antidotes one thru three, could’ve very easily prevented this mass shooting. It’s obvious  that this alleged attempted murderer needed psychological help! Fortunately, he  didn’t murder anyone. Where’s the 24-hour Antidote to Murder Hotline?

Is there an Antidote to Murder? YOU BE THE JUDGE!