The Psychology of Stalking: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives [Hardcover]

J. Reid Meloy (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0124905609 | ISBN-13: 978-0124905603 | Edition: 1

The Psychology of Stalking is the first scholarly book on stalking ever published. Virtually every serious writer and researcher in this area of criminal psychopathology has contributed a chapter. These chapters explore stalking from social, psychiatric, psychological and behavioral perspectives. New thinking and data are presented on threats, pursuit characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, offender-victim typologies, cyberstalking, false victimization syndrome, erotomania, stalking and domestic violence, the stalking of public figures, and many other aspects of stalking, as well as legal issues. This landmark text is of interest to both professionals and other thoughtful individuals who recognize the serious nature of this ominous social behavior.

Key Features:
* First scholarly book on stalking ever published
* Contributions from virtually all major researchers in field
* Discussion of what to do when being stalked
* Uses examples from recent publicized cases

Editorial Reviews

Review

"J. Reid Meloy and his colleagues have blended clinical insight, scientific rigor, and legal precision to produce the one indispensable book on stalking. Encyclopedic in coverage and gracefully written, this work will have enormous influence on practice, policy, and research. With the publication of The Psychology of Stalking: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives, the study of stalking has come of age."
--JOHN MONAHAN, Ph.D., Professor of Law, University of Virginia
"The Psychology of Stalking: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives is a comprehensive, up-to-date scholarly review that included everything from Shakespeare's stalking sonnets to cyberstalking. It provides a wealth of useful information. The book is must reading for law enforcement and mental health professionals who deal with stalkers."
--PHILLIP J. RESNICK, M.D.
"This book is necessary reading for anyone who is currently working within any of the professional fields in which stalking is an issue. The book not only brings readers up to date with the research findings, but it also encourages them to reassess myths that have been perpetuated by media, literary works, and pop psychology. Most significant, this edited volume points to important and innovative areas of investigation and research that must be explored as we approach the 21st century."
--ANTHONY J. PINIZZOTTO, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Behavioral Sciences Unit
"A number of books on stalking have been published by journalists and victims of stalkers, but until the release of this volume no scholarly review of the topic was available. The editor, J. Reid Meloy, was one of the first clinicians to write about stalkers and his work has been central to the evolution of serious inquiry into stalking...This is the first book aimed primarily at clinicians in a rapidly expanding area of public and clinical interest. It won't be the last but it sets a high standard for those that will follow."
--Medical Journal of Australia, Vol. 171, September 1999
"The Psychology of Stalking is an outstanding collection of writings on a subject for which there is a very sparse literature... the information here is vital to clinicians who treat offenders and victims as well as potentially extremely helpful to law enforcement professionals. The Psychology of Stalking is a must for all clinicians and law enforcement personnel who are likely to come into contact with this very troublesome phenomenon: the person who is relentless in seeking a relationship with another individual who wants nothing more than to be left alone."
--THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND LAW

Book Description

Honorable Mention, 2000 Manfred S. Guttmacher Award, American Psychiatric Association

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 327 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (June 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0124905609
• ISBN-13: 978-0124905603
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #923,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but somewhat dated, August 25, 2001

By 

amethyst "djardin" (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Psychology of Stalking: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives (Hardcover)

This was one of the first published compilations of research articles on stalking. It includes such classics as the article by Zona and Lane (of the LAPD threat management unit) on the typology of stalking. As in many areas of active research, the book is already somewhat dated. Because stalking laws had only been recently passed at the time the papers were written, the discussion of stalking laws is limited mostly to discussing some of the cases that prompted the laws. Similarly, because there were relatively few documented cases at the time, the discussion of stalking statistics is quite preliminary. There are many more thorough recent studies (See, for example, the excellent NIJ research by Tjaden and Thoennes.) The primary strength of the book is its comprehensive selection of early papers. I would highly recommend it for a student in the field who should be familiar with this work. The book is NOT meant to be a sourcebook for case management. In particular, there are no specifics on threat assessment and only a single case study of intervention techniques. For people who work with stalkers or stalking cases, I would strongly recommend the "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker, who authored the MOSAIC system. Books on psychopathology (such as "Without Conscience: the Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us") are also excellent background.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of all issues related to stalking, August 2, 2000

By 

T. McDaniels "uppitywomen" (Santa Cruz, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Psychology of Stalking: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives (Hardcover)

The mixed reviews so far are split between victims wanting something that reflects their experience and academics wanting the most up-to-date research findings. This book is not really to aid victims as much as it is to bolster the understanding of those who might be trying to serve their needs and assess their level of danger. It is academic in tone and that is off-putting to some. But these articles were designed for presentation at the regular stalking conference in Los Angeles so the tone fits the venue. I found it very informative and helpful in threat assessment, understanding different types of stalkers and what works to deter them. Victims can best use the information designed to help psychologically deter stalkers by robbing them of their pay-off--attention. It also explains that intermittent response is most likely to INCREASE stalking activity--as in slot machine payoffs.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read!, June 7, 2002

By 

Clara M. Fuller (Florence, SC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Psychology of Stalking: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives (Paperback)

Great intro to stalking behavior and the signs, symptoms, and preventive measures one can take. I found this book informative, well-researched, and insightful. Certainly, a good resource for anyone interested in stalking, domestic violence, or general offender behavior.