An Unsafe World
Secondary Victimization of Bereaved Families in Cold-Case Homicides -A Qualitative Study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13628187 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Diana Cantini Vaisman (Bar-Ilan University), Tomer Einat (0000-0002-9527-8827, University of Haifa, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 302228261430471-302228261430471 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-23 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00302228261430471 |
| PMID | 41730146 |
| OpenAlex | W7131131115 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 28 |
Cold case homicide investigations leave families with unanswered questions and prolonged psychological distress. Cold case homicides impose prolonged psychological, emotional, and social strain on bereaved family members, who must cope not only with the traumatic loss itself but also with uncertainty and the ongoing absence of justice. Despite increasing scholarly attention to secondary victimization, limited research has examined bereaved families' long-term interactions with law enforcement in unresolved homicide cases. This qualitative study explores the experiences of 13 family members of homicide victims in Israel whose cases remain unsolved. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal a persistent dynamic of mistrust, emotional detachment, and perceived negligence within interactions between families and law enforcement. Participants reported feelings of abandonment, secondary trauma, and institutional betrayal, which exacerbated their grief and contributed to ongoing psychological burden. The study highlights the need for trauma-informed police practices and improved long-term support mechanisms for families in cold case contexts
Feeling · Grief · Homicide · Injury prevention · Law enforcement · Poison control · Qualitative research · Suicide prevention · Thematic analysis · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse · Intimate Partner and Family Violence
Qualitative Content Analysis in Practice
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Validity and reliability in quantitative studies
Systematic methodological review
The qualitative content analysis process
Why People Obey the Law
Examining the Assumptive World Views of Parents Bereaved by Accident, Murder, and Illness
The Impact of Police Behavior During Death Notifications on Mental Health of the Bereaved
Exploring the familial impact of cold case homicides
Procedural justice in victim-police interactions and victims' recovery from victimisation experiences
Continuing Bonds, Risk Factors for Complicated Grief, and Adjustment to Bereavement
Bearing Bad News
Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology
Just world research and the attribution process
Qualitative Quality
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |