1. Serial Murderers – Concluding Issues
CJ 266: Unit 9 Seminar
Serial Murderers – Concluding Issues
Clifford Marsh
Deviance and Violence (CJ 266)

2. Deviance & Violence
Deviance: actions or behaviors that violate cultural norms including formally-enacted rules (e.g., crime) as well as informal violations of social norms
Violence: is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes; The word violence covers a broad spectrum. It can vary from a physical altercation between two beings to war and genocide where millions may die as a result.

3. Interviewing Serial Killers
One of the biggest problems in studying serial killers is access to meaningful data.
Issues to consider
Low base rate behavior so can’t study in aggregate
Information (and researcher perception) influenced by media and pop culture
View of serial killer researchers as if they were similar to “groupies”
Offender “gaming”
Difficulty in determining the personal meaning of behavior for offender

4. Hickey’s Suggestions for Interviewing/Studying Serial Killers
Maintain Objectivity
Acknowledge other perspectives
Recognize more important to ask the right questions than to acquire quick answers

5. Serial Murder Across Cultures
Studying serial murder across cultures is difficult due to a number of factors:
Different definitions across cultures
Cultural differences influence manifestation of behavior, methods, motives
Profiles from the United States often differ from serial killer profiles elsewhere

6. Serial Murder Across Cultures
What we know about serial murder across culture:
Serial murderer is a global phenomenon
Serial killers, regardless of where they are from, tend to report abusive backgrounds
Serial murders in other cultures (Germany, Japan) tend be more “place-specific” and US serial killers more mobile
In US and around world most serial killers target stranger victims
Many countries identify “super killers” but difficult to verify actual numbers
Other countries have identified a greater number of female serial killers than the US however as in the case in the US, most are not identified as sexual homicide offenders
Team killers more common in US
Non US serial killers rarely use firearms
Although psychopathy (and antisocial personality disorder) is a cross-cultural phenomenon, its definition, diagnosis, and manifestation differs across culture
In studying serial murder across cultures, it is important to keep in mind unique features of culture that can influence understanding and identification of serial murder (e.g., Multi murder in South Africa)

7. Profiling, Apprehension, and Disposition of Serial Killers
Profiling is not yet a science and is so broad in terms of the different methods and approaches
Profiling has potential to generate false leads and false conviction
Investigating serial murder is fraught with problems:
Media
Management of resources
Jurisdictional Issues
Complexity of Cases
False Confessions
Copycat crime
Politics

8. Final Paper: 3-4 pages minimum Must have Part I and Part II
All facts must be cited; meaning, all factually-based sentences must have an in-text citation
All in-text citations are then correlated with an entry on the alphabetized Reference page
APA audio tutorial:

9. Final Paper: Part I
There are many theories regarding the social construction of serial killers. Discuss the difference in social structure, social class, social process, neutralization, social control and labeling theories as they relate to serial killers. In your own words, provide some examples of each. (1000 words)

10. Final Paper: Part I Excellent Resources

11. So, with Part I…
Take one or two theories and differentiate the differences between the two theories and how they explain serial killer. You will need to research the theory and then I want you to explain the two theories and the similarities/differences between the two theories in how YOU WOULD EXPLAIN this phenomenon of serial killers.

12. Final Paper: Part II
Serial murder requires both a reactive and proactive investigative approach. Discuss both the reactive and proactive approaches in depth. Identify sources of information (such as databases) and how these are important in each approach from an investigative point of view. Support your position with facts gathered from outside sources.

13. Proactive & Reactive Investigative Tools
Criminal investigations can be either reactive or proactive:
Reactive: where the police respond to a crime that has already occurred
Proactive: where the investigation may go on before and during the commission of the offense.

14. Part II: Excellent Resources

15. So, with Part II…
Now that you know the difference between reactive and proactive investigative tools, I want you to explain your understanding of these two investigative tools and how they would be applicable towards solving serial murderers. Like Part I, you are stating your hypothesis based upon research. I want to know what YOU THINK.

16. Again, all final papers must…
Be 3-4 pages minimum, double-spaced, using a font of 12 in Times New Roman
Must have in-text citations to support all factually-based sentences.
Must have a Reference page to support all in-text citations.
You must have in-text citations and a Reference page—no ifs, ands, buts…

17. To Catch A Serial Killer
Click on this link or copy/paste the following link into a new browser (Appx. 40 minutes):