NCJ Number
184491
Journal
Homicide Studies Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2000 Pages: 211-218
Date Published
August 2000
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article introduces the topic of analyzing violent serial offending.
Abstract
Violent serial crime is a topic that is, almost by its nature, subject to sensationalism. To say that the violent serial offender holds a certain amount of fascination for the public would be a tremendous understatement, as evidenced by the numerous books, movies, television dramas and documentaries produced on the subject each year. The media saturation with serial offending, in particular serial murder, has created a public that has had a great deal of exposure to the subject matter. However, much of what is represented about serial offending is based on misinformation or myth. Not all offenders are 20- to 30-year-old white male sexual predators. The literature suggests a much more complex view of serial offending than what is typically offered to the public. Moreover, there is some disparity in the literature as to what exactly constitutes serial crime, and more specifically serial murder. Some of the disparity involves differences in the number of victims necessary to qualify as a serial crime, the temporal elements required and the tendency to equate serial homicide with sexual homicide. Notes, references