Academic literature on the topic 'Serial killers'

In this thesis, I have analysed representations of a selection of fictional and factual serial killers from Thomas de Quincey to Thomas Harris’s Hannibal Lecter, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to the autobiographical narratives of real life serial killers Carl Panzram, Donald Gaskins and Ian Brady. My analysis of these texts identifies the portrayals of serial killers in terms of representations as aesthetic, existential, socially othered phenomena. The thesis proceeds from the premise that serial killer narratives often obscure the existential brute reality of murder. As such, I examine serial killing vis-à-vis attempted explanatory shifts in such narratives which represent serial murder and serial killers in terms of aesthetic, psychopathological, moral/religious/supernatural and socio-political phenomena, and I investigate the implications of these shifts. I focus initially on Romantic ideas of the self, and in the relationship between the ‘outsider’ artist/poet and the textual emergence of the figure of the solitary ‘serial’ murderer in the early nineteenth century, particularly in relation to De Quincey’s aesthetic murder essays. Subsequent fluctuations of the representation of serial killing between mental-health, law-and-order and political/social discourses are discussed in relation to the subsequent texts. I conclude by examining cognitive dissonance theory, A.E. Van Vogt’s description of the Violent Man, and James Gilligan’s theories on violence, in order to propose a possible synergetic response to narratives and representations of serial killers and serial killing.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:56:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel_Ivori_de_Matos.pdf: 962028 bytes, checksum: 5ec80654284dfad44b9059a0ba85f72f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-27<br>In this study we intend, through film analysis, to understand how the movie industry has represented the Serial Killers, discussing the aspects that compose it and that constituted diverse views on the subject. Immediately film analysis led us to reflect on representations spread over the years about the Serial Killers, for better understanding of what aspects are present in these productions and appearing in the social imaginary. To this problematization noting as cinema dialogue with the cinema itself, in addition to treating social characteristics that are actually identified as belonging to these individuals, that is, showing how the film itself through the decades approached this subject. Therefore, we propose a study of image analysis that seeks to understand how the movie industry represents some questions, thus revealing aspects that make up an imaginary cast often by violent scenes of murders that boost the attendance of crowds to theaters. In this study will seek an analysis of how serial killers are represented in film, or are prepared to note how the representations of these individuals in the social imaginary and that impacts and changes caused by the strategies of language/esthetics of narrative film, so that the film turned out to be the main reference on the subject.<br>Visamos nesta pesquisa, através da análise fílmica, perceber como a indústria cinematográfica representou os Serial Killers, discutindo os aspectos que o compõem e que constituíram visões diversas sobre o tema. Logo a análise fílmica nos levou a refletir a respeito das representações disseminadas ao longo dos anos frente aos Serial Killers, para melhor compreensão sobre quais aspectos estão presentes nessas produções, e que figuram no imaginário social. Para tal problematização percebendo como o cinema dialoga com o próprio cinema, para além do tratamento social das características que são apontadas como de fato pertencentes a estes indivíduos, ou seja, mostrando como o cinema por si só através das décadas abordou este assunto. Deste modo, propusemos uma pesquisa de análise de imagens que busca compreender como a indústria do cinema representa certas questões, assim revelando os aspectos que compõem um imaginário moldado muitas vezes por cenas violentas de assassinatos que impulsionam a ida de multidões aos cinemas. Busca-se nesta pesquisa uma análise de como os Serial Killers são representados no cinema, ou seja, como são elaboradas as representações destes indivíduos no imaginário social e que impactos e transformações causaram através das estratégias da linguagem/estética da narrativa cinematográfica, de modo que o cinema acabou se tornando o principal referencial sobre o assunto.

The phenomenon of serial killers is increasing world wide. During the past decade the most memorable cases of serial homicide in South Africa have been those of the "Norwood serial killer", the "Station Strangler", the "Cleveland serial killer", "The Gaunteng serial killer" and the "St Charles serial killer". The enigma surrounding serial killers is the so-called "lack of motive'' for the murders. No extrinsic motive such as robbery, financial gain, revenge or passion exists as there usually would be in the case of other murders. The available literature indicates that several theories have been proposed to explain the origin of serial homicide, but none can explain sufficiently to the author why one person with a certain type of background and exposed to a certain environment becomes a serial killer, whilst another, with a similar background and circumstances does not. The theories that are discussed are the socio-cultural factors, Ressler's motivational model, systemic factors, demonic possession, neurological factors, psychogenic factors and fantasy. In this thesis the author attempts to answer the question "What is the origin of serial homicide" by applying selected aspects of the psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Melanie Klein on two case studies of South African serial killers. The author formulates twenty nine statements of her own, based on the theories of Freud and Klein which she applies to the two case studies. The cases of the "Station Strangler" in Mitchell's Plain, Cape province, and the "St Charles serial killer" in Donnybrook, KwaZulu Natal are selected. Both of these serial killers are organized in their modus operandi, but the "Station Strangler" is a ego-dystonic killer and the "St Charles serial killer" a ego-syntonic serial killer. The method of research is a qualitative case study method. The author divides the selected aspects of Freud and Klein's theories into categories and analyses the two cases presented according to these categories. In the final chapter she draws maps to illustrate the psychoanalytical developmental paths of serial killers in general and for each of the two cases. Multiple data sources are used for example interviews with the serial killers and their families, police dockets, court proceedings and psychiatric records. Multiple data sources, explanation building and replication by way of multiple case studies are employed to ensure construct validity, internal validity and external validity respectively. Reliability is supported by entering the data in a South African Police Service data base. In conclusion the author compares the differences and similarities between the two case studies, and discusses the statements which are supported by this research. She also recommends that those statements which are not supported, be discussed in consecutive case studies. The statements are generalized to all serial killers.<br>Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 1996.<br>gm2013<br>Psychology<br>unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T12:45:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 000478740-Texto+Parcial-0.pdf: 191289 bytes, checksum: a6335c7244fbbae388885c4fa1560d24 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015<br>The intended with the current research is to carry out a comparison of the Brazilian investigation in cases of serial killers acting with the context of the US criminal investigation, in order to understand how resource utilization profile criminal psychological may or may not influence the speed of investigative pursuit to anticipate the guilty identification process. For the results, the conducting of research goes through the thoughts of criminological trends focusing on positions regarding the offender and an overview of the serial killer. This research presents and performs conceptual differences, analyzes clinical and psychosocial behavior of the serial killer as well as the legal of your criminal acts. Still, the research is concerned with present criminal profiling as a way of collaboration to police investigations in the search for serial killers identification through the traces left at the scene of the crimes, while highlighting the limitations that this technique can offer. After the completion of the comparison of the US criminal investigation with the BR criminal investigation in cases of serial killers leads to the conclusion that the use of criminal profile influences the speed of investigative prosecution in the search for the guilty in cases in the United States and concluded that in Brazil are inadequate investigations to the type of crime committed by serial killer, lacking the appropriate method, causing an unfavorable impact. In Brazil, the criminal profile technique is completely disregarded.<br>De forma clara e objetiva, o que se pretende com a atual pesquisa é realizar uma comparação da investigação criminal brasileira nos casos de atuação de serial killers com o contexto da investigação criminal norte-americana, de forma a perceber o quanto a utilização do recurso ao perfil criminal do delinquente pode, ou não, influenciar na celeridade da persecução investigatória de forma a antecipar o processo de identificação do culpado. Para que os resultados fossem alcançados, a linha condutora da pesquisa passa pelos pensamentos das correntes criminológicas com foco nas posições no tocante ao delinquente e traça, a partir daí, um panorama geral sobre o serial killer. Apresenta e realiza diferenciações conceituais, analisa aspectos clínicos e psicossocias da conduta do serial killer, bem como os aspectos legais que cotejam o processamento de seus atos criminosos. Ainda, a pesquisa preocupa-se em apresentar o perfil criminal como uma forma de colaboração às investigações policiais na busca pela identificação de serial killers através dos vestígios deixados na cena dos crimes, sem deixar de ressaltar as limitações que a referida técnica pode oferecer. Ao fim, a realização da comparação da investigação criminal norte-americana com a brasileira nos casos de serial killers, conduz à conclusão de que a utilização do perfil criminal do delinquente influencia na celeridade da persecução investigatória na busca pelo culpado nos casos ocorridos nos Estados Unidos e à conclusão de que no Brasil encontram-se investigações inadequadas ao tipo de crime cometido por serial killer, desprovidas do método apropriado, causando impacto desfavorável. No Brasil, a técnica da elaboração do perfil criminal é completamente desconsiderada.

Seriemördare är rovdjur som fascinerar samhället på grund av deras farlighet. Forskning fokuserar främst på seriemördaren och offret blir obemärkt. Studier om mordoffrets karakteristika är få och befintlig forskning har fokuserat på få variabler om offret. Syftet med studien var att ta reda på om seriemördare begår mord på offer som uppvisar liknande egenskaper och visa hur variationen ser ut hos olika typer av seriemördare. Utifrån seriemördare från kända listor genomfördes en deskriptiv analys av offrens egenskaper. Resultatet visade att det typiska offret för män var en obekant, vit, vuxen kvinna som befann sig inom hans bekvämlighetszon. För kvinnor var det typiska offret en bekant, vit, vuxen man som befann sig inom hennes bekvämlighetszon. Majoriteten av seriemördare dödar inte utifrån bestämda offerkategorier utan varierar istället, vilket korresponderar med vad tidigare studier på området har kommit fram till kring offrets egenskaper. Att förstå hur mordoffret väljs ut ökar förståelsen om seriemördaren.

Submitted by Setor de Tratamento da Informa??o - BC/PUCRS (tede2@pucrs.br) on 2016-05-23T18:24:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DIS_ROSANA_HELENA_FERREIRA_CORREIA_PARCIAL.pdf: 191289 bytes, checksum: a6335c7244fbbae388885c4fa1560d24 (MD5)<br>Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-23T18:24:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DIS_ROSANA_HELENA_FERREIRA_CORREIA_PARCIAL.pdf: 191289 bytes, checksum: a6335c7244fbbae388885c4fa1560d24 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-01-21<br>The intended with the current research is to carry out a comparison of the Brazilian investigation in cases of serial killers acting with the context of the US criminal investigation, in order to understand how resource utilization profile criminal psychological may or may not influence the speed of investigative pursuit to anticipate the guilty identification process. For the results, the conducting of research goes through the thoughts of criminological trends focusing on positions regarding the offender and an overview of the serial killer. This research presents and performs conceptual differences, analyzes clinical and psychosocial behavior of the serial killer as well as the legal of your criminal acts. Still, the research is concerned with present criminal profiling as a way of collaboration to police investigations in the search for serial killers identification through the traces left at the scene of the crimes, while highlighting the limitations that this technique can offer. After the completion of the comparison of the US criminal investigation with the BR criminal investigation in cases of serial killers leads to the conclusion that the use of criminal profile influences the speed of investigative prosecution in the search for the guilty in cases in the United States and concluded that in Brazil are inadequate investigations to the type of crime committed by serial killer, lacking the appropriate method, causing an unfavorable impact. In Brazil, the criminal profile technique is completely disregarded.<br>De forma clara e objetiva, o que se pretende com a atual pesquisa ? realizar uma compara??o da investiga??o criminal brasileira nos casos de atua??o de serial killers com o contexto da investiga??o criminal norte-americana, de forma a perceber o quanto a utiliza??o do recurso ao perfil criminal do delinquente pode, ou n?o, influenciar na celeridade da persecu??o investigat?ria de forma a antecipar o processo de identifica??o do culpado. Para que os resultados fossem alcan?ados, a linha condutora da pesquisa passa pelos pensamentos das correntes criminol?gicas com foco nas posi??es no tocante ao delinquente e tra?a, a partir da?, um panorama geral sobre o serial killer. Apresenta e realiza diferencia??es conceituais, analisa aspectos cl?nicos e psicossocias da conduta do serial killer, bem como os aspectos legais que cotejam o processamento de seus atos criminosos. Ainda, a pesquisa preocupa-se em apresentar o perfil criminal como uma forma de colabora??o ?s investiga??es policiais na busca pela identifica??o de serial killers atrav?s dos vest?gios deixados na cena dos crimes, sem deixar de ressaltar as limita??es que a referida t?cnica pode oferecer. Ao fim, a realiza??o da compara??o da investiga??o criminal norte-americana com a brasileira nos casos de serial killers, conduz ? conclus?o de que a utiliza??o do perfil criminal do delinquente influencia na celeridade da persecu??o investigat?ria na busca pelo culpado nos casos ocorridos nos Estados Unidos e ? conclus?o de que no Brasil encontram-se investiga??es inadequadas ao tipo de crime cometido por serial killer, desprovidas do m?todo apropriado, causando impacto desfavor?vel. No Brasil, a t?cnica da elabora??o do perfil criminal ? completamente desconsiderada.

<p> Homicides linked to serial killers comprise a small percentage of the total number of murders committed in the United States, as well as overseas; however, there has always been an immense interest in these type of killings due to the mysterious nature of their perpetrators and their motives for killing. This small percentage could be due to the decreased incidence of the mental illnesses usually associated with serial killers (i.e., Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy), and advances in police investigative methods such as DNA matching that have resulted in a higher rate of solved murders, and consequently fewer serial killers still at large. Many theories have been proposed to try to explain why serial killers murder their victims. The most popular of these theories is the organized and disorganized dichotomy of serial killers&rsquo; methods. By using this theory and linking it with both Alfred Adler&rsquo;s (1928) theory of birth order and Michael Kirton&rsquo;s (1976) adaptor and innovator theory the relationship between a serial killer&rsquo;s birth order and the types of victims he chooses can be explored. </p>

This research is a qualitative art-based study exploring trauma markers found in the artwork of serial killers through the participation of licensed art therapists trained in the identification and treatment of trauma. The literature review covers a broad range of variables that influence the development of mass murderers, and how art therapy may be useful in working with serial killer populations. The study offers a unique, non-verbal exploration of the trauma experienced by serial killers through the art therapy lens. The three participants provided invaluable data through their responses to a questionnaire and creation of response art that demonstrates evidence of complex trauma, military trauma and traumatic brain injury; all of which were supported by previous research found in the literature. Themes identified through the analysis of the data included: communication, representation, chaos and violence, life and death, and illusion of power. This study demonstrates the importance of understanding serial killers’ psychological makeup, the traumas and other experiences that have profound impacts on them, and the contexts in which they develop. This may lead to a better understanding in how to look for the warning signs in their development and artwork; allowing for the potential to prevent such violent behavior with early intervention.