Have you ever been married? Or been seriously involved with a male for a long period of time? If you caught your partner or that boy friend in bed with your best friend what would your reaction be? What if you had children? If you walked into your next door neighbor's house and found him raping your six-year-old daughter what would you do? They call them crimes of passion because many people are prone to violence in such situations. Perhaps I didn't mention a situation that would evoke your passion and maybe there's nothing in the world that would cause you to act out. But for many people, when the most important person in their life is harmed or breaks their trust, society tends to give them a lesser punishment when they might not be able to control their actions. I disagree with you that serial killers who go around killing people for kicks are the same as people who need someone they care about deeply to be harmed before they react. There is a major difference between premeditated murder, reckless indifference to murder and a passionate occurrence.

@lerlo I have had somr relationship where I was hurt a great deal. I move on with my life. I dont' let those who betray me remain in my life. I feel no need to be violent about it.

@snytiger6 you didn't address my scenarios which go way beyond a great deal of hurt. I wasn't suggesting that you could kill somebody, just trying to make you understand why some people do.

Laws, especially the so called crimes of passions, vary from state to state and country to country. There are still places in the States where (usually the man) can kill their partner and their partner's lover if caught in the act.