Chapter 28: Forensic Psychology

Chapter 29: Forensic Psychiatry

Chapter 30: Serial Offenders: Linking Cases by Modus Operandi and Signature

Chapter 31: Criminal Personality Profiling

Criminal Psychology

Serial Killers & You

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What is Murder?

Some murders are committed only for the offender’s own enjoyment and psychological satisfaction

Many killers have high numbers of victims and their actions are sadistically brutal

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Mass and Spree Murder

Mass murder: The killing of several people at one location.

Spree murder: The killing of several people at different locations over a period of several days.

These killers typically commit suicide or are killed by the police.

Two types of mass murderers: Those who chose specific targets who the

killers believe to have caused them stress. Those who attack targets having no

connection with the killer but who belong to groups the killer dislikes.

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Most mass murderers are motivated by a hatred that simmers until some specific event provides the flame that brings it to a boil.

Spree killers move from victim to victim in fairly rapid succession.

Spree killing is rare, but spree-killing teams are even rarer and are typically composed of a dominant leader and submissive lover.

Spree and mass murderers have increased steadily in the United States since the middle of the century.

Mass and Spree Murder

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Serial Murder

FBI’s three criteria for defining a killer as a serial killer:

Kill in three or more separate events. At three or more separate locations. Engage in an emotional cooling off period

between murders. Serial murder: The killing of three or more

victims over an extended period of time.

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The Extent of the Problem

Some empirical evidence suggested that roughly 20% of the murders in the United States yearly were committed by serial killers.

However, other data sources contented that the share of serial killers accounted for no more than 300-400 murders each year.

DEMOGRAPHICS88% MALEAVERAGE AGE 28.5TARGETED STRANGERS 62%

CAUCASIAN 85%OPERATE IN SPECIFIC LOCATION 71%

WHAT MAKES A SERIAL KILLER?ADOLESCENT LIFEALL COME FROM DYSFUNCTIONAL

BACKGROUNDS INVOLVING SEXUAL OR PHYSICAL ABUSE

BIPOLAR MODE DISORDERA FEELING OF RESENTMENT TOWARDS

SOCIETYSEXUAL FRUSTRATIONSDAY DREAMING ISOLATION

MENTAL ILLNESSMOST NOT PSYCHOTICTHEY ARE PSYCHOPATHSTHEY PERCEIVE THEMSELVES AS GODSBECOME ADDICTED TO KILLING

*You can also have Copy Cat Killers: those who set out to copy more infamous killers

Psychopath

Definitions of Psychopath (or sociopath) on the Web:

* A person who willfully does damage without remorse. "Such individuals are insensitive to other's needs, and unable to anticipate the consequences of their behavior... characterized by absence of guilt and anxiety normally accompanying an antisocial act."

Categorizing the Serial KillerKiller

Sex, race, ageIQPsychopathology

Crime SceneType of weaponUse of tortureAttempt to hide

bodyLocation

MotiveSexPowerFianancial Gain

VictimSex, Race, AgeOccupationPersonality

Visionary: betterment of society, for better goodMissionary: justified killingsHedonistic: pleasure (lust), ‘black widows’Economic Gain: for material ends, “things”Power & Control: domination, abused as child, most

commonSexual in Nature

You may come across additional reasons in your research.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/

Types of Serial Killers

DefinitionPattern of irresponsible or harmful behaviorLack of conscienceIgnore social rules and lawsImpulsiveFail to learn from punishment

ExamplesGang MembersCriminals who kill for no reason

Types of Serial KillersAntisocial Personalities

This type is not the primary focus of our discussion / project.

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Biological Predisposition (low arousal levels, possible prefrontal cortex damage, etc) Environmental Trauma/Stress

Predisposition Self-esteem and self- control problems Sexual dysfunction

Maladaptive coping skills Retreat into fantasy world

Dissocia-tive process

First Kill!

Figure 12.2 Stephen Giannangelo's Diathesis/Stress

Model of Serial Killing

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Law Enforcement’s Response to Serial Killing The Investigative Support Unit (ISU) of the

FBI has developed methods of profiling serial killers and other violent offenders through extensive interviewing and formal psychological testing of incarcerated killers in order to develop a typology based on personality and other offender characteristics.

Offender profiling is augmented by crime scene analysis, which often tells experienced investigators a lot about the perpetrator’s personality.

May serial murders may occur in diverse police jurisdictions without law enforcement being able to not the connections between them. This problem is known as linkage blindness.

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In 1985, the FBI created the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) which was a national clearinghouse that collates information on unsolved violent crimes from different jurisdictions.

Law enforcement now has the ability to link a number of homicides committed in different jurisdictions to a single individual or individuals.

Law Enforcement’s Response to Serial Killing

Serial KillersHenry Lee LucasAngelo BuonoAndrei ChikatibBelle GunnessRichard Trenton ChaseEd Gein (Tx Massacre)Jake BirdMichael SwangoMary Ann CottonKarla HomolkaRobert YatesGary Ridgway

Nannie DossBloody-Benders (US)Thug Behram (India)Miyuki Ishikawa

(Japan)Alexander Pichuzkin

(Russia)Bruce Lee (Britain)Nikolai Dzhvmagaliev

(Russia)Karl Denke (Germany)

More Serial Killers Jeffrey Dahmer David Berkowicz (Son of Sam) Jack the Ripper Zodiac Killer Albert Desalvo (Boston

Strangler) Yorkshore Ripper BTK Weepy-Voiced Killer Charles Ng & Leonard Lake Eddie Gein “Mad Butcher of Kingsbury

Run” The Frankford Slasher William Burke & William Hare Frederick Bailey Deeming Fritz Haarmann

Black Dahlia Black Widow Charles Manson John Wayne Gacey Ted Bundy Daisey de Melker (South

Africa’s 1st serial killer) Clairemont SK Green River Killer Rostov Ripper Carl Panzram Axeman of New Orleans Berrima Axe Murderer Anna Marie Hahn Jack the Stripper

Create a PhotoStory Timeline (or a narrated PowerPoint with automatic timing) detailing the following:

Part 1: Brief Overview of …What Makes a Serial Killer (cause, reasoning, thinking, normal

behaviors, abnormal behaviors, intelligence)Actions of a Serial Killer (reasons, victims, what they get out of the

killings, trophies/keepsakes, what they do with the bodies, etc.)Media Attention (good or bad or both)

Part 2: Select a Famous Serial Killer (most likely from the list provided) & discuss your Killer based on the items you explained in Part 1Be sure to give sufficient detail on the victim(s) – was there a trend

between all the victims?

Be sure to use your textbook (chapters 30 & 31) as a guide when profiling your serial killer.

Project: What makes a Serial Killer?