Serial murders: criminological profiles

2017

The present work embraces multiple aspects related to the theme of serial murder, which is essentially addressed by a criminological and personological perspective. Attention will be focused first on the serial killer figure, which will analyze both the intrapsychic peculiarities and the most intrinsic motivations behind the homicidal action as well as the more technical and specific aspects of the modus operandi and the signature that convey this kind of offenders. At the same time, a victimological overview will be developed, focusing on the preferential victims in this delinquent mode. The article will also highlight a categorization of serial killings based on the motive, as well as different classifications of the major types of serial killers identified by multiple authors. Finally, criminal profiling will be analyzed, deepening the role of the profiler in investigations and outlining the presumed personality of the offender, thus circumscribing the field of potential investig...

Serial murderers as criminological issue SUMMARY The paper focuses on, for the public most intrasting form of multiple murders (multicid) which, in the same time represents the challenge for justice and Criminology-serial killings. Following the phenomenological analysis, it is pointed on the causality and stages of those crimes. Hereon, investigative techniques that are used to capture the perpetrators have bee presented, and at the end instructions on how to prevent and suppress the serial killings have been given. As measure that could act prophylactically are mentioned:-a need that society explicitly proclaims and implements the strategy of rejecting any use of violence in relationships between human;-tightening substance traffic control, and-the need for community informal mechanisms engagement to help all people who are suffering, especially those of younger age. When it comes to institutions of formal social control, the basic premise of solving serial murders efficient is to collect the necessary information from the relevant authorities and the exchange of data they have gained, both on the national and international level. In addition, the use of special investigative techniques, particularly DNA and profiling, are giveing hope that the majority of serial killers be brought to face justice.

American Journal of Criminal Justice, 1988

This article approaches a position of delving into the thoughts of those who commit murder serially. The information comes lrom a variety of sources which include research literature, theory examination and most importanlJy, serial murderers themselves. More than 400 cases of serial fatal violence as well as interviews with incarcerated serial killers were utilized. Important issues such as locus of motives, expected gains, victim selection processes, planning of the event, the murder event itself, and erganization and disorganization of the kill are also discussed. While admit'ring that serial killers have never been rehabilitated, a call is directed toward a better understanding of the mind of the serial murderer.

Sociology Mind, 2017

Over the years, scholars have studied the phenomenon of serial murder and tried to explain the causes that originate it. Despite the studies about the types of serial killers, the dynamics, the contexts, and the complex psychological mechanisms which lead a serial killer to murder, organic factors or social nature were identified, but none of these answered the question why some individuals become serial killers, in spite of the types have been studied, the dynamics, the contexts, the complex psychological mechanisms give rise to the death of activities by these individuals. This is the focal point and the problem we want to solve. This paper will try to outline two basic phases which represent the alpha and omega of the world of serial killers from fantasy to enacting the murder.

Since the publication of Philip Jenkins’s essay The Social Construction of Serial Homicide (1994), it is now widely acknowledged that serial murder shall be considered as an ill-founded criminological category mainly maintained by statistical errors, political strategies and ideological interests. Moreover, recent critiques of the FBI profiling methods (Muller 2000; Canter & Youngs, 2009) put into question the idea of tailored investigation techniques with respect to serial homicide. Last but not least, psychiatrists disagree on whether or not serial killers shall be qualified as a homogeneous group from a psychopathological or psychodynamic perspective. The aim of this contribution is to introduce a philosophical critique of this commonly accepted constructivist approach of serial homicide. Our study will start with some epistemological considerations on criminological classifications and investigation techniques. This will not only help us to clarify the methodological flaws in social constructionism essays (Caputi, 1987; Cameron & Frazer, 1987; Seltzer, 1998; Tithecott, 1998), but also enable us to refine our domain of inquiry with more specific guidelines. Secondly, aided by the works of Ian Hacking (1998; 2000; 2002), we will question the philosophical implications of the social construction of serial murder. Eventually, we will vindicate an anthropological approach for prospective researches on serial murder. In brief, we would like to establish two claims: (1) in the United States, serial murder was experienced as a nightmarish episode of the sexual revolution; (2) on a cross historical and cultural level, serial murder has to be described as a sacrificial practice—that is as a type of crime tying violence to the sacred.

CrimRxiv, 2021

The prevalence of serial murder is low; however, it has been the focus of much academic and popular attention. Despite a considerable research base on serial murder, there is still debate as to how it should be defined. This article examines often used definitions of serial murder, followed by a critique of some of the main components of these definitions. From this, a definition is advanced with rationales for the inclusion of the characteristics in the proposed definition. This analysis provides for some clarity in the identification of serial murder and those aspects of the crime used to define it. KEYWORDS serial murder, spree murder, mass murder, cooling-off period, dormant period Despite the understanding that serial murder is uncommon (Schlesinger, 2001), it has been popular among both professional and lay audiences (Knoll, 2006). Serial murder was popularised in the 1980s and 1990s by movies, television shows, and written works by current and former investigators and criminal profilers. In the academic literature, several works, such as the Crime Classification Manual and Sexual Homicides: Patterns and Motives, both written by members of the FBI's Behavioural Analysis Unit and their associates, brought this type of multiple murder to the fore. There is both interest in and an impressive research corpus on serial murder; however, debate remains over fundamental issues such as how the term is defined, how many victims are required before serial murder is identified, and the role of motive. A cursory examination of the literature shows that definitions are as varied as offenders themselves, though there are some commonalities running throughout research and literature. This article canvasses the literature on serial murder, providing an examination into the various definitions provided and critique of the common components of these definitions, before proposing a definition with the accompanying rationale for each component. History of the Term Serial murder, similar to murder itself, is likely as old as human criminal interaction although the term and its study is relatively recent. Alongside the contention surrounding definition, there is no universal agreement as to the origin of the term serial murder. While some lay claim, evidence suggests the term, or at least the concepts behind it, have existed for considerably longer. Contributing to the problem is the understanding that claims made regarding origin are uncritically accepted and repeated in the literature, causing further confusion. One of the most cited sources for the term serial killer is [retired] FBI agent Robert Ressler, who claims this in both of his true crime works. In the first, Whoever Fights Monsters:

2004

ABSTRACT People who kill strangers all have their own macabre reasons for their acts. There is much to learn from those who are willing to divulge their reasons, and sometimes from the acts of those who don’t. Lieutenant Nelson Andreu retired from the Miami Police Department in 2002 where during his tenure as a detective, he investigated six serial murder cases. In this article he first attempts to track similarities among people who kill strangers and then presents how the six cases he investigated may or may not have conformed to these generalities. Five generalities are discussed based on a consensus of the majority of criminal profilers, based on actual cases investigated: (1) common knowledge, (2) genesis of a serial killer, (3) victim selection, (4) victim objectification, and (5) denouement. A summary of these generalities begins with that most, although not all, serial killers begin their lives as petty criminals. They frequently suffer from low self-esteem, often complicated by some type of sexual dysfunction. Many were victims of sexual abuse or raised in a violent household. Generally, serial killers select their victims based on certain physical and/or personal characteristics. When a serial killer begins their hunt for human prey, it is almost always true that they know absolutely nothing about the person who is to become their victim. Lastly, once a serial killer is in possession of a living victim and has the victim where he/she feels safe enough to act out his/her fantasies, the acts are often performed as if on “autopilot.” The killer’s acts appear to be a close reenactment of what they previously did in his/her imagination.

OMEGA--Journal of Death and Dying, 2012

Serial killers have always fascinated society. A serial killer is typically defined as a perpetrator who murders three or more people over a period of time. Most reported cases of serial killers come from the United States and Canada. In India, there are few reported cases. We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first Indian case in the literature. The present case is of a 28-year-old man, Surinder Koli. The Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delphi handled the forensic study. We present a most unique psychological investigation into the mind of a serial killer.

Although the phenomenon of serial killers has received great attention from media, governments, and public, very little information is known about them and very few theories are presented by researchers specifically their definition and motives for killing. Through cross tabulation analysis of top ninety-eight serial killers, this present study poses six questions that investigate the correlations between, offender's gender, offender's level of education, time span of killing, killing severity, number of victims, killer's type of abuse, motives for killing, and victim's profile. Findings show that males kill more than females and for longer time, less educated serial killers kill more horribly, female serial killers consider their family members easy target, and finally males kill most for enjoyment and sex and females kill for financial gains.

Multiple murder is a popular topic for many movies, TV series, novels, and other art forms due to its seemingly mysterious nature. However, against the depictions of the perpetrators as being rather charismatic and charming personas, the reality is that they are individuals with serious personality disorders of different types. To correct these misleading public images, this paper introduces a simple classification chart of serial, spree, and mass killers to promote easy understandings of who they are and where they come from. It proposes that three factors decide which symptom the subject falls into on the same continuum.