1. CJ 266 Deviance and Violence
Seminar 3

2. SEMINAR OVERVIEW Welcome Unit 4 Writing Assignment
Defining Serial Murder
Mass, Serial and Spree Murders
Constructing Typologies of Serial Killers
Explaining Serial Murder
Myths of Serial Murder

3. Unit 4 Writing Assignment Guidelines
The many questions associated with serial murder investigation bring about criticism and public and media pressure. There is a globalization perspective to serial murder investigation. Identify and discuss the investigative tools and approaches used by law enforcement here and abroad in their investigative approaches. Is this affected by media pressure and actions or by public criticism?

4. Unit 4 Writing Assignment Guidelines
Your paper should be 3-4 pages and include:
At least 2 outside sources to support your claims (APA style)
The various investigative tools/techniques that law enforcement uses in the U.S. and other countries.
The media's role in that process.

5. “Facts” about Serial Killers
Law enforcement Media Public

6. How Do We Define Serial Murder?
Serial murder occurs when one or more individuals . . .
commits subsequent murder (after first murder) over a period of time
is relationshipless (victim and attacker are strangers);
occurs at a different time and has no connection to the initial (and subsequent) murder;
is frequently committed in a different geographic location;
typically follows a pattern (victims/methods/motive);
the motive is generally not for material gain but is usually a compulsive act specifically for gratification based on fantasies.

7. Mass Murderers vs. Serial Killers
Mass murderers—generally apprehended or killed by police, commit suicide, or turn themselves in to authorities.
Serial killers—usually make special efforts to elude detection.
Both evoke fear and anxiety in the community, but the reaction to a mass murder will be much more focused and locally limited than that to serial killing.
Mass murderer kills groups of people at once, whereas the serial killer individualizes his or her murders.
Serial murderers continue to kill over time.

8. Mass Murderer Characteristics
These offenders are primarily:
White, male, and encompass a wide age range.
Handguns, semiautomatic guns, and rifles are the weapons used to kill suddenly and swiftly
Victims are often intentionally selected by the killer and other persons who happen to be in the area also become prey.
Some offenders, simply frustrated by perceived injustices and inequities, lash out at groups of victims who bear no relationship to them.

9. What is a Spree Murder? Spree murders occur when. . .
Three or more victims are killed by a single perpetrator within a period of hours or days in different locations.
Offenders often act in a frenzy, make little effort to avoid detection, and kill in several sequences.
Offenders may kill more than one victim in one location and travel to another location.
There appears to be no cooling-off period even though the murders occur at different places

10. Differences Among Mass, Serial, and Spree Murderers
Mass Serial Spree
Murder is means of control over life
Usually arrested or killed at crime scene
Often commits suicide after the crime
Eludes arrest and detection
Likely to travel and seek out victims
Evokes long-term media/public attention
Kills individuals
Kills several in short period of time
Murders viewed as single incident
Murderer is usually white male
Motivated primarily by material gain or revenge
Victims usually female
Firearms are the common choice of weapon
Kills in spontaneous rage c

11. Commonalities Among Mass, Serial and Spree Murderers
Commit homicides in an effort to regain, even for a brief moment, a degree of control over their lives.

12. Typologies of Serial Killers
Bio-socio-psychological categories
Mobility (traveling, local, place specific)
Sexual Taxonomies
Motivational
Organized vs. Disorganized

13. Factors for Constructing Typologies
Specific Victims
Specific Methods
Variety of victims
Specific victims
Variety of methods

14. Explaining Serial Murder
BIOLOGICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL
Extrovert vs. introvert
Mental disorders
Personality disorders
Dissociative disorder
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Social structure theory
Social process theory

15. MacDonald Triad Animal torture or killing Enuresis (bed wetting)
Fire setting

16. Trauma-Control Model for Serial Murder
Predispositional Factors
Facilitators
Low Self-esteem fantasies
Trauma Event(s)
Increasingly violent fantasies
Homicidal behavior
Dissociation
Trauma Reinforcement(s)

17. MYTHS ABOUT SERIAL KILLERS
MYTH FACT
They are nearly all white One in five serial killers is black.
They are all male Nearly 17% are female.
They are insane Insanity is a legal term. Very few
offenders (2%–4%) are legally insane.
They are all lust killers Many are, but several cases do not involve
sexual assaults, torture, or sexual mutilations.
They kill dozens of victims A few have high body counts but most kill under
10 victims.
They kill alone About one in four have one or more partners.
Victims are beaten, stabbed, strangled Some victims are poisoned or shot.
or tortured to death.
They are all very intelligent Most are of average intelligence.
They have high mobility in the U.S Most offenders remain in a local area.
They are driven to kill because Many kill as a result of rejection
they were sexually abused as children. as and abandonment in childhood.

18. WRAP UP Any Questions/Concerns?
Next Seminar Topic: Be prepared to discuss victimization in serial murder.