Male Serial Killers and the Criminal Profiling Process: a Literature Review Jennifer R
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Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1996 Male Serial Killers and the Criminal Profiling Process: A Literature Review Jennifer R. Phillips Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Psychology at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Phillips, Jennifer R., "Male Serial Killers and the Criminal Profiling Process: A Literature Review" (1996). Masters Theses. 1274. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1274 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Male Serial Killers and the Criminal Profiling Process: A Literature Review Jennifer R. Phillips Eastern Illinois University TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ....................................................... iv Acknowledgments ................................................. v Abstract ......................................................... vii ... Preface and Rationale .............................................. VIII CHAPTER 1: Understanding Serial Killers .............................. 1 Definitive Categories: Serial Killers. Serial Sexual Killers. and Serial Sadistic Killers .................................. 2 History and Incidence of Serial Killings ...........................6 Childhood History and Social Development ....................... 7 Motivational Model of Sexual Homicide .......................... 14 Ineffective Social Environment ........................... 15 Formative Events .....................................16 Patterned Responses ................................... 18 Actions Toward Others ................................. 20 FeedbackFilter ....................................... 21 Developmental Importance of Humiliation and Embarrassment .........21 Characteristics. Patterns. and Descriptions ........................23 CHAPTER 2: Behavioral. Crime Scene. and Serial Killer Classifications ........ 28 Behavioral Phases of Murder ..................................29 Phase 1: Precrime Behavior ..............................29 Phase 2: The Murder ................................... 30 Phase 3 : Disposal of the Body ............................ 31 Phase 4: Postcrime Behavior ............................. 31 Classification of Crime Scenes Through Crime Scene Analysis ......... 32 Crime Scene Indicators for Sex-Related or Sexual Homicide .......... 32 Crime Scene Indicators for Non-Sexual and Unknown Homicides ....... 35 Classification of Serial Killers According to Crime Scene Structure and Information ......................................35 Organized Classification According to Crime Scene Structure .......... 36 Disorganized Classification According to Crime Scene Structure ....... 39 Mixed Classification According to Crime Scene Structure .............42 Limitations to Application of Classifications .......................43 CHAPTER 3: Typologies of Serial Killers .............................. 44 Geographical Mobility ....................................... 44 The Visionary Killer ......................................... 45 The Missionary Killer ........................................ 45 The Hedonistic Killer and Hedonistic Subtypes .................... 46 The Power-Control Killer ..................................... 47 Limitations to Typologies ..................................... 47 CHAPTER 4: Sadistic and Lust Practices ........................... 49 Sadism and Sexual Sadism .................................... 49 Serial Sadistic Murder ....................................... 52 LustMurder ............................................... 62 Characteristics of Lust Murderers .............................. 63 The Crime of Lust Murder .................................... 66 Brief Case Example .........................................71 CHAPTER 5: Motivations for Serial Killers ............................ 73 Motivations for Killing Serially ................................. 73 Psychological Motivational Models ............................. 75 Integrational Motivational Models .............................. 77 Fantasy as Motivation .......................................79 General Components of Fantasy ................................ 82 Fantasy Related to Each Killer Subtype .......................... 86 The Fantasy-Related Process of Becoming a Serial Killer ............. 90 CHAPTER 6: Serial Murder: Behavior. Cognition. and Emotion ............ 92 Importance of Cognition in Serial Killers ......................... 92 Cognitive Inhibitory Processes ........................... 93 Cognitive Facilitating Processes .......................... 94 Operant Processes .................................... 94 Emotional Expression in Serial Killers ........................... 95 Explanations for Serial Killing Behavior .......................... 96 The Insanity Defense for Serial Killers ........................... 102 CHAPTER 7: Criminal Profiling ..................................... 107 Historical Antecedents ....................................... 107 Process of Investigation ...................................... 109 Definition of Criminal Profiling ................................ 111 Rationale and Goals for Criminal Profiling ........................ 114 Assumptions of the Profiling Process ............................ 116 Applications of Criminal Profiling ............................... 117 The Profiling Process ........................................ 118 Behaviors Evaluated in a Criminal Profile ......................... 120 ModusOperandi ......................................122 Signature ........................................... 122 Staging .............................................124 Linking Cases ........................................ 125 Profile Characteristics .......................................127 Limitations of Criminal Profiling ............................... 129 Effectiveness of Criminal Profiling .............I. ................ 129 Profiling: Art or Science? .................................... 133 The National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program ..........................134 REFERENCES ................................................144 Dedication This paper is dedicated to my grandpa Bob who passed away shortly before its completion. He did not live to see the bound copy or my degree, but I know where he is now, and I know that he is proud. Acknowledgments To Dr. Bill Kirk: I want to thank you for being my thesis advisor, my graduate advisor, my professor, and my friend. You have truly been an inspiration to me. But most importantly I want to thank you for giving me the flexibility over the past two years to write a thesis like this and to pursue some unconventional goals. I'm not sure where I would be right now if you had not given me the chance to be myself. There were times when I wondered if it was all worth it, and I know I wasn't always the perfect advisee, but I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and understanding. Thank you for helping me get this far. To Dr. Reed Benedict: I want to thank you for being a part of this committee, for your friendship, and for your valuable input. You tolerated me in the beginning when I didn't have a clue and when I really didn't care. You tolerated me during the slow times, and you tolerated me during the successful times. You kept me motivated and grounded when I couldn't do that myself. And I want to thank you for teaching that Criminal Justice class--otherwise two great minds would not have had this opportunity to think alike! Thanks for being you. To Dr. Russell Gruber: I want to thank you for being a part of this committee and for never failing to make me laugh. Thank you for always allowing me to add my personal twist to things and for encouraging me to express my opinions and to think for myself. You kept telling me that someday this would be done, and now I finally how you were right. To my parents: Thank you for your many years of love and support. And thank you for giving me the idea that eventually lead to this thesis and which will hopehlly lead me to the FBI. Abstract A review of the relevant psychological and sociological literature regarding serial killers is presented. Also described is the investigative process and the procedures involved in constructing accurate criminal profiles. This paper examines the definition, characteristics, and classifications of male serial hllers. Additionally, the paper discusses various motivations for killing serially, the importance of fantasy, and emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes in the serial killer. The process of criminal profiling, which is a relatively new and innovative proactive and reactive investigative procedure, is also described as a tool used frequently in the investigative process of serial homicides. Also described is the importance of criminal profiling and the overall effectiveness of professionally constructed criminal profiles. viii PREFACE AND RATIONALE Serial murderers have long been a cause of fear among the general public and a source of scrutiny among law enforcement and social scientists. Such criminals have often been difficult to apprehend as well as understand. Many serial hllers successfblly elude law enforcement for years, leaving a long list of victims in their wakes, including "Jack