NCJ Number
220255
Editor(s)
Jean Proulx,
Eric Beauregard,
Maurice Cusson,
Alexandre Nicole
Date Published
2005
Length
271 pages
Annotation
The 13 chapters of this book present the methodologies and findings of two major studies of sexual murderers and related practical issues of offender profiling and treatment: the Montreal (Canada) and Birmingham (United Kingdom) studies.
Abstract
The various segments of the Montreal study of sexual murderers show that such offenders have far more in common with sexual aggressors against women (but who do not kill them) than the previous literature implies. The Montreal studies also show that the murder of a victim in the course of a sexual assault has various motivations, such as to silence the victim as a witness, an expression of rage, a response to victim resistance, and an expression of sadistic impulses. The Montreal researchers determined that four elements are strongly predictive of the occurrence of murder during a sexual crime: precrime anger, a victim who is a stranger to the victim, the presence of a weapon, and victim resistance. The chapters that report on the findings of the Birmingham researchers present conclusions that are similar to those of the Montreal research. In addition, the Birmingham chapters report on a comparison of the demographic and psychometric features of sexual murderers and rapists who do not kill their victims. The chapter on criminal profiling in general and the profiling of sexual murderers in particular indicates the usefulness of profiling in the investigation of sexual murders. The concluding chapter on the treatment of sexual murderers notes that a detailed and standardized treatment regimen for such offenders is inappropriate for various reasons; however, concepts useful for the treatment of such offenders are noted, and clinical guidelines are offered. 326 references, 5 figures, 37 tables, and a subject index