Targets Of Predators Victims of Serial Killers

Introduction: The “less-dead”

When the novel The Silence of the Lambs was published, it became a best-seller. When the movie was made, it packed the theaters and received numerous Academy Awards. People flocked to the cinema to see the riveting performances of Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. The character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter was suddenly known everywhere, parodied on television comedy programs and the talk of the town. Hannibal Lecter, as portrayed by Hopkins, captured the public’s imagination. Why? Americans, Brits, and Russians, along with nearly all of the rest of the world, have made heroes out of not only fictional serial killers but the real serial killers among us. While their numerous victims lie in their graves, serial killers can still send the press into high gear. They are still remembered years after their crimes. Books, articles, and the press continue to produce copious amounts of ink, hanging on every word these killers say, every court action that is held on their behalf, and every excuse...

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Serial Killers: Offender’s Relationship to the Victim and Selected Demographics

Abstract:   The conventional thought among law enforcement members, academic researchers, and profilers is that serial killers are generally White males in their 20’s or 30’s who are of above average intelligence and primarily kill strangers within their own race. The current study attempts to validate these hypotheses through an examination of 21 serial killers and their 97 victims. The cases were drawn from 15 jurisdictions and all cases have been closed by arrest and finalized through court processes. Data were drawn from police offense reports; investigative reports; crime scene photographs; videos and maps; transcripts of interviews with witnesses, surviving victims, relatives, and offenders; physical evidence examination reports; laboratory and forensic analysis reports; autopsy reports; criminal and prison records; and psychological profiles and psychiatric evaluations. The analysis indicated that although the conventional thought on serial killers generally holds true, there is more diversity among serial killers than had been previously believed...

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