NCJ Number
149013
Date Published
1992
Length
173 pages
Annotation
This study examines the causes, characteristics, patterns, and police and societal responses to actual and potential serial killers.
Abstract
Findings and proposals are based on the author's 10- year review of evidence from police files, court records, psychiatric testimony, and news reports. The case histories of more than 800 serial killers were examined. A "serial murder" is defined by the author as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone." The crimes may occur over a time period that ranges from hours to years. Often the motive is psychological, and the offender's behavior and the physical evidence observed at the crime scenes will reflect sadistic, sexual overtones. Some of the issues examined are the childhood behavioral patterns and attitudes of serial killers, whether violent pornography creates sex slayers, the traits serial killers look for in their victims, and whether potential serial killers can be identified and treated before they start to kill. The author profiles particular serial killers from birth to execution, as he explores their childhoods, their morbid fantasies, and their hunting and killing techniques. Also examined are law enforcement techniques for identifying serial killings and investigating them. Proposals for addressing serial murder focus on improved law enforcement techniques, as well as long-term preventive measures. Appended VICAP crime analysis report, notes, a 168-item bibliography, and a subject index