NCJ Number
140493
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1992) Pages: 124-145
Date Published
1992
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The modus operandi information from crimes committed by four serial rapists is used to analyze the spatial-temporal aspects of the rapists' tactics; individual patterns of offending are described and related to plausible explanations of why the offenders committed their crimes at specific locations during specific times.
Abstract
Spatial analysis is one of the research fields of geography; it focuses on spatial behavior and behavior in space. The four serial rapists examined here could provide benchmarks for comparing and contrasting other offenders and their incidents. The first offender attacked his victims in a small area at seemingly regular intervals. This pattern conforms to a person whose spatial knowledge of the area is limited, probably a visitor or tourist. The second subject raped and burglarized his victims in a very small area, during the early morning hours, and at very short intervals. His behavior was typical of someone with limited spatial mobility, likely a new resident of the area or someone with fixed resources. The third offender, who also concentrated his attacks in a small area, did not pattern himself temporally and his crimes were distributed over a longer time span. His spatial knowledge of the locations for his later crimes was limited and influenced by the location of his residence and earlier crimes, indicating he was a youthful offender. The fourth offender, who was apprehended by civilians, employed different techniques for approaching his victims. He varied the crimes, methods, and locations, which could be typical of serial rapists who are not apprehended or who have long criminal careers before they are eventually arrested. 4 tables, 6 figures, 8 notes, and 32 references