Examining Victim Selection: The Female Serial Murderer

By: Erica Hutton

Much concentration is typically devoted to the examination of motive pertaining to crime commission. In fact, all of the criminal justice related TV shows lure the members of their audiences into their episodes by contemplating the reason(s) associated to why this person would do what they did and to investigate the process of reconstructing the scene to allow the audience member's to walk in the footsteps of the killer. The motivation associated to heinous killings has previously been steered towards the male serial killer versus that of the female serial killer. The following article will ascertain the prominent methods that female serial killers utilize to narrow their victim selection in selecting the most opportune victim to kill.

In the past, female serial killers were found to concentrate their killings by killing more family members versus strangers. According to Hickey (2010), female serial killers are selecting more strangers to kill than ever previously reported. When women kill strangers, their prime victim selection will typically be young boys or girls. There will be exceptions to this notion especially when the covert nature and Angel of Death personifications are integrated into the big picture.

Females that are serial murderers are most prone to select victims that are easily manageable because of their lack of strength or threat that they may be able to bestow onto their prey. It should come to no surprise that reports reveal that when female killers that select a victim that they are related to, they are most opt to select their husbands to kill (Hickey, 2010).

It is possible for a female to select their in-laws to murder or even their own mothers. Furthermore, it is rare for females to kill acquaintances such as males that they date, friends, children that they are acquainted with, or neighbors. When women select children to kill, they strategically select the child, a process that is methodical and requires much patience (Hickey, 2010).

Female serial murderers that are set out to kill strangers, will typically travel to do so; becoming the type of killer that is classified as being a poacher. One interesting aspect that reveals a surprising find is that over 1/4 of female serial murderers have selected an elderly person to kill. If a minor is selected as a victim, there is typically no difference in regards to gender; a male or female will suffice. However, if the victim selected is an adult, there is a 51% chance that the victim will be a male (Hickey, 2010).

Research data compiled, revealed that approximately 44% of female killers were considered to be local killers. Such declaration reveals that females are not likely to diversify their methodologies in killing, illustrating safety and strategy as tools to elude apprehension. The confusing notion pertains to the female being a classic hunter and yet a poacher as to not kill too close to home.

In conclusion, female killers are notorious for being classified as a covert killer and studies reveal that between 1821 and 2004, female serial murderers comprised approximately 45% of deaths by poison and/or consumption of some sort of noxious substance(s).

According to Lombroso and Ferrero (1916), "We have seen that the normal woman is naturally less sensitive to pain than a man...We also saw that women have many traits in common with children; that their moral sense is deficient; that they are revengeful, jealous, inclined to vengeance of a refined cruelty" (as cited by Hickey, 2010).

Reference:

Hickey, E. (2010). Serial murderers and their victims. (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Using Animal Examiners at a Crime Scene

By: Erica Hutton

The following article assesses the motivational aspects pertaining to employing animal examiners during crime scene investigations. I will address the reasons for using animals, the methods, and the challenges associated to the utilization of this particular technique.

Law enforcement officers that specialize in utilizing dogs for investigative purposes have been typically identified as K-9 Unit Officers; however, these officers are actually animal handlers and even considered to be animal examiners (Genge, 2002). Dogs that are trained for crime scene investigation searches and specialize in:

-Locating the remains of a decedent
-Searching for any item or object associated to the decedent
-Locating individuals that have been trapped or lost in a natural accident scenario
-Searching for individuals that have been determined as missing or lost within rural or urban settings
-Supporting officers and defending officers on foot
-Locating the scents associated to various accelerants
-Locating the scents associated to drugs that are presumed to be present
-Locating the scents associated to explosives, even explosives that are not detected by X-Ray machines or metal detectors

Dogs are great commodities for searching because they have millions of olfactory receptors but they actually aren't the prime animal for scent identification. Sniffing Cats and Ferrets are both great at sniffing and discriminating between scents; also, truffle-hunting pigs are excellent at sniffing but they become too distracted when searching, especially if any food is present.

Cats tend to be lazy and aren't best for searches and focus on finding what they are interested in discovering; whereas, dogs are able to be rewarded and praised for their efforts and conditioned (Genge, 2002). Furthermore, dogs aren't as lazy as other animals and when they are coached, encouraged, and trained to be enthusiastic about their search and subsequently rewarded, there may be both classical and operant conditioning that directly aids in completing such tasks.

One of the most problematic concerns in employing animals in the investigative process pertains to the fact that they are unable to participate in the adjudication process (Genge, 2002). Animals are unable to testify and thus it should be understood and acknowledged that animals are "field-workers" that employ a specialized skill set to search for evidence, bodies, and specific objects (p. 210). Also, when the dog becomes exhausted there is a risk associated to the search because they could feign their discovery just for the purpose of praise and release from duty, pretending to find a scent because they are ready to leave.

Policing animals range from Dobermans to German Shepherds, and also Miniature Pinschers may be employed in order to climb and fit in tight spaces. Each dog has it's own talent or area of specialization; therefore, the dog utilized to pull individual's from avalanches or natural disaster accidents is aware that footing is a crucial element in the overall retrieval process and will therefore conduct themselves cautiously during their investigation (Genge, 2002). Likewise, dogs that are trained to search for cadavers may not be able to search for live victims because that is not what they were trained for.

Genge (2002, p.213) states that "If you're looking for something that's still there and constantly releasing new scent, like a decaying body, then obviously scent dilution is less of a factor than it would be if an object had been removed from a scene and we were looking for evidence that it had been there at some point in time."

Trained cadaver dogs have the ability to smell the decaying stench of flesh for up to 50 years after a person has been buried, especially if the grave is shallow. The assistance that is offered by animals in the crime scene investigation process is appreciated, and the animals are perceived to be competent as the members of the law enforcement hover to see what exactly it is that will be revealed by their search.

Utilizing animal examiners to conduct crime scene investigations wasn't always perceived to be a credible method for searching, locating, and recovering evidence. However, there are countless family members of victims that appreciate their specialization, time utilized for training, and the investigative efforts that are employed to locate their loved ones.

Reference:

Genge, N.E. (2002). The science of crime scene investigation: The forensic casebook. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

The Psychopathology Asssociated to Voyeurism

By: Erica Hutton

The following article assesses the topic of voyeurism to include the typical age of onset and the theoretical implications associated to such sexual deviance.

What is Voyeurism?

Voyeurism is defined as being the act of viewing nudity or sexual activity when it is accompanied by sexual arousal. In order for voyeurism to be categorized as a paraphilia, the person has to be observing unsuspecting individuals that are naked or engaging in some form of sexual activity and the reason underlying their peeping process is to gain sexual arousal (Kaplan & Krueger, 1997).

Masturbatory behavior accompanies voyeurism. There are individuals that find voyeurism as being the exclusive type of sexual activity, only achieving sexual arousal and orgasm by watching unsuspecting individuals either undressing or also engaging in sexual activity.

If these behaviors are considered to be voyeuristic in nature, it could therefore be deduced that the viewing of pornographic images is also a paraphilia in and of itself and such a deduction would be correct. Such behavior is referred to as Pictophilia (Money, 1996), in which the erotic aspect is associated to directly being invited to view another person's sexual adventures (as cited in Kaplan & Krueger, 1997).

Empirical Investigation of Voyeurism

Such behaviorisms are typically initiated by the age of 15 with 90% of the cases are males. Meyer (1995) stated that males who peep females are classified as being perverted; however, females who peep males aren't perceived as being sexually deviant but rather the male is considered to be the party responsible for exposing himself, a disparity that is completely unfair (as cited in Kaplan & Krueger, 1997).

The typical voyeur is male, married, does not personally know the person they are watching but yet they are erotically infatuated with the aspect of watching them from afar, sexually arousing themselves and further fuels a process that conditions them to continue such behavior.

There is inconclusive empirical investigation associated to voyeurism in that at times it is considered to be a precursor for serial rapists and serial killers; however, there are rare cases in which a voyeur fails to participate in serious sexual acts of violence (Kaplan & Krueger, 1997). For example, Ted Bundy participated in voyeuristic behaviors by the age of 9; therefore, in his particular case voyeurism was a precursor for graduating to future sexually violent acts against women.

A Theoretical Application

The social learning theory (Laws & Marshall, 1999) perceives voyeurism to the be direct result of learning and conditioning sexually deviant behavior as fantasies collide with reinforcement, reward, and observation (as cited in Kaplan & Krueger, 1997).

The sociobiological theory (Symons, 1979) examines the attraction of genitalia regarding the opposite sex that is particularly arousing for males in particular due to their inquisitive perspective and drive to pursue the opposite gender (as cited in Kaplan & Krueger, 1997).

Legal & Forensic Implications

Legally, there are states that do not consider voyeuristic behavior's to be illegal whatsoever, especially if trespassing or unlawful entry does not take place. Most voyeurs are able to avoid detection and if their unsuspecting victim does catch them watching them, the fear that is expressed is actually a notion that further expounds their climax due to the level of power associated to the violation.

The perpetrator is more-so aware that they have the power to watch others and once they are seen, they are more likely to return to the scene to graduate their sexually erotic fantasies and may even sexually assault their victim or begin stalking them from afar. These behaviors ensue because in their mind a relationship, built on sexually erotic fantasies, has been established and even conferred. Not all voyeurs are dangerous; however, it should be noted that such behavior is often a precursor for other forms of sexually violent acts of deviancy and even murder.

Reference:

Kaplan, M.S., & Krueger, R. B. (1997). Voyeurism: Psychopathology and theory. Laws, D.R., & O'Donohue, W. (1997). Sexual Deviance: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Investigating the Victim-Blaming Perspective in Association to Prostitution

By: Erica Hutton

The following article is highly controversial as it assesses the application of the victim-blaming perspective in association to sexual assault cases. This viewpoint initiated in 1971 (Gibbs, Amir, & MacDonald), and further questioned the level of blame attributed to females that have fallen prey to a sexual assault (as cited in Karmen, 2007). This perspective maintains that women that place themselves at harms way, may a times be perceived to be responsible for victimization.

How victim-blaming works

MacDonald (1971) believed that some women maintain fantasies of being sexually ravished by a male, him taking control and seizing the opportunity to sexually experience her body (as cited in Karmen, 2007). Furthermore, the victim-blaming perspective holds that there are instances in which some women place themselves into harm's way, succumbing themselves to plausible sexually dangerous situations.

Women may be unaware of such instances and may not realize that they are placing themselves in harm's way, at risk, or representing their bodies as being available when they really aren't. "They are unaware, naive, or gullible in their dealings with males. They wear clothing or use language that men stereotype as signaling sexual availability" (Karmen, 2007). This theory of course is not applicable to all cases of sexual assault; however, the legal application would be that of assumed risk for potentially dangerous or lethal behaviors (Karmen, 2007).

Victim-blaming and prostitution

Schur (1984) and Marciniak (1999) examined the application of implied consent regarding leniency and discretionary measures utilized by the tribunal based on the level of seduction presented by women (as cited in Karmen, 2007). The practitioner based element of such a theoretical conceptualization may inquire as to the application of this viewpoint on offenses committed towards prostitutes.

Prostitutes that fall prey to sexual offenses may not report their crimes based on the notion that their vocation is predominately illegal, also placing them in a seductive situation to be sexually involved for monetary purposes. Not only are prostitutes not as likely to report sexual crimes or offenses that take place, but they also may feel like it is their fault that they have fallen prey to their offender due solely to their occupation.

I have presented the following question in class in the past to assess the perspective of sexual deviance among my students: If prostitution was legal throughout the United States, would there be a reduction in the number of rapes and other sexual offenses throughout our nation? Inevitably, the answer is always no; there would still be rapes and sexual offenses throughout the United States due to the level of emotionality and power associated to sexually motivated crimes.

It may be assumed that prostitutes deserve any form of violence that results in their line of work due to their sexually deviant advertisements and desire(s) to be in this vocation as a whole. I often wonder about the association of Jack the Ripper and the mission he was on in the 1800's to dismember and mutilate the prostitutes among the Whitechapel District in London.

Is it possible to say that he was on a mission, to kill and mutilate the women who advertised their sexual services, him possibly believing that he was saving the community from the promotion of sexually deviant activities that were perceived to be self-defeating acts? The Ripper was so emotional in his killings, acts of dismemberment and mutilation revealing his level of passion and sadistic undertones of hate he conveyed towards his victims, leaving their midnight screams haunting the streets where their very killer lingered, predicating his in-existence.

Reference:

Karmen, A. (2007). Crime victims: An introduction to victimology. (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson & Wadsworth

Sexual Homicide: Concentrating on the Characteristics of the Sadistic Sexual Killer

By: Erica Hutton

Typologies associated to sexual murder include both angry and sadistic killers. The purpose of this discussion is to concentrate on the characteristics pertaining to the pre-crime, MO, and post-crime phase of the sadistic sexual murderer.

Pre-Crime Phase

In this phase of planning, the killer tends to be rather overwhelmed with aggression that has not been expressed. It is possible that the amount of aggression experienced is based on various stressors that exist or even a result of the unhealthy infatuation associated to sadistic fantasies assaulting their mind on a regular basis (Beauregard, 2008). The participation in the sexual murder plausibly results from a significant blow to the killer's self-esteem. The killing typology most appropriate to the sadistic sexual murderer is that of a hunter; therefore, the killer employs the opportunistic method of hand-selecting his prey, with much premeditation and infatuation devoted to the process in it's entirety (Beauregard, 2008).

Modus Operandi

The methods utilized in victim selection include that of both ruse and manipulation. The victim is typically unknown to the killer and although the killer is most often a hunter, he won't necessarily be selecting a victim close in proximity to his home-base of operations as a hunter typically does.

A sexual sadist doesn't always kill their victim. It should be noted that when murder occurs during a sexual assault, the murder is typically perceived as being instrumental in nature. Furthermore, the murder itself may or may not be premeditated here as the primary concern encompasses the sadistic and sexual infatuation that the killer has with his prey (Beauregard, 2008). This concept is highly determined on the level of experience the killer has and the intricate associations devoted to his craft.

There may be mutilation or object insertion into the body cavities, the victim tied up or even gagged during the attack, in addition to pre-mortem or post-mortem mutilation. Trophies are almost always taken with this type of killer, dismembering is often employed due to the level of emotionality fueling a sexual assault, and death is most often completed by method of strangulation (Beauregard, 2008).

One of the interesting aspects associated to the method utilized by the sadistic sexual murderer pertains to their overall aggression that is projected to the victim. For example, this particular killer will apprehend a victim and take their time, holding them captive for the purpose of reflecting their sadistic fantasies. It should be noted that with this type of killing the torture is prolonged and often ritualistic in nature (Beauregard, 2008). The killer may plausibly illicit sexual dysfunctions and will most likely order fellatio to be performed on him in addition to following through with anal or vaginal penetration.

Post-Crime Phase

Believe it or not, this type of killer may actually elect to participate in the actual investigation process. On the other end of the spectrum, they may even relocate after crime commission, especially if the kill was too close to their home-base of operations. This killer doesn't want to work in his backyard but rather travel and be a little more transient in his hunts. This killer will not be remorseful for their acts and if they are, the remorse expressed is in itself an act. The sexual sadistic murderer actually becomes highly aroused while they are describing the horrific methods utilized in crime commission for control, torture, and sexual pleasure. Therefore, their recollection of events tends to be rather orgasmic as they are able to mentally re-experience the entire event.

This particular killer incorporates high levels of control in crime commission and may even hide or move the body after-wards. This offender is highly infatuated with news and media coverage of their crime and one's similar to it (Beauregard, 2008). It is even possible that they receive gratification from viewing crimes similar to their own sadistic fantasies and may be obsessed with S & M pornography and chat rooms that provide the opportunity for them to fuel their fantasies.


Reference:

Beauregard, E. (2008). The heterogeneity of predatory behaviors in sexual homicide. Violent Offenders: Theory, Research, Public Policy, and Practice. DeLisi, M., & Conis, P.J. (2008). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publications.