This text provides an in-depth, scholarly examination of serial murderers and their victims. Supported by extensive data and research, the book profiles some of the most prominent murderers of our time, addressing the highest-profile serial killer type--the sexual predator--as well as a wide variety of other types (male, female, team, healthcare, and serial killers from outside the U.S.). Author Eric Hickey examines the lives of over 400 serial murderers, analyzing the cultural, historical, and religious factors that influence our myths and stereotypes of these individuals. He describes the biological, psychological, and sociological reasons for serial murder and discusses profiling and other law enforcement issues related to the apprehension and disposition of serial killers. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Provides a solid review of the subject, with an accessible, incisive presentation, including photos and features unique to this edition.

While "Mass murder" refers to the murder of several people at the same time, "serial murder" describes several killings by the same perpetrator in a repetitive pattern. Usually these incidents count a high toll of victims and create significant anxiety in the public. Yet, the rate of finding murderers in these cases is relatively very low, especially in serial murders; that is if they are ever caught at all. Arnon Edelstein examines the various categories of mass murder and serial murder and suggests a new category: "mass-serial murder". He presents and criticizes the most up-to-date research and theoretical literature in the field and suggests an integrative theoretical model. This groundbreaking volume is intended for criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, students, and readers who are interested in truly understanding the complicated aspects of this fascinating field of investigation.

The latest book from Cengage Learning on Serial Murderers and their Victims, International Edition

Labeled as the crime of the 1990’s, serial murder is predicted to remain the crime of the first decades of the new millennium. This book brings together the perspectives of acknowledged experts in the field along with those of emerging authorities on serial murder. The chapters offer a unique look at these crimes from a variety of viewpoints and experiences. Accessibly written, this compelling volume includes information on minorities and serial killing, as well the manner in which serial killers are traced and tracked.

Serial Killers: Understanding Lust Murder, edited by Phillip C. Shon and Dragan Milovanovic, is a collection of ten chapters on the nature, expression, development, and possible responses to this recently popularized form of crime. These forms of serial killings not only involve continuous killings but some form of perverse sexual relations with the victim or body of the victim. Perhaps brought to public attention by some dramatic cases involving Jeffrey Dahmer, Robert Bundy, John Gacy, and Denis Rader and popular media presentations such as The Silence of the Lambs (1991), the examination of this phenomenon is only recently entering more scholarly scrutiny. This book includes various notable scholars in the field, from theoreticians to practitioners, and is divided into three parts. The first part develops theories of sexual homicide and the development of predatory laws. It examines the history of serial lust homicide, definitions, and motivational models. It also includes attempts at integrative approaches. The second part develops such forms of lust serial killing as piquerism, paraphilia, and necrophilia. The third part concerns the effects of the media, as well as phenomenological, existential, and "edgework" oriented approaches. Serial Killers not only brings the phenomenon under a keen theoretical and empirical investigation, shedding more scholarly insights on the phenomena, but it suggests methods for developing research hypotheses for academicians and for presenting practitioners with further insights into the field.

Fans of Mindhunter and true crime podcasts will devour these chilling stories of serial killers from the American "Golden Age" (1950-2000). With books like Serial Killers, Female Serial Killers and Sons of Cain, Peter Vronsky has established himself as the foremost expert on the history of serial killers. In this first definitive history of the "Golden Age" of American serial murder, when the number and body count of serial killers exploded, Vronsky tells the stories of the most unusual and prominent serial killings from the 1950s to the early twenty-first century. From Ted Bundy to the Golden State Killer, our fascination with these classic serial killers seems to grow by the day. American Serial Killers gives true crime junkies what they crave, with both perennial favorites (Ed Kemper, Jeffrey Dahmer) and lesser-known cases (Melvin Rees, Harvey Glatman).

This timely reference examines the psychological and social phenomena of mass and serial murder, bringing scholarly depth to a frequently sensationalized subject. Its review of the literature features case studies of serial and mass murderers to expand on salient theories of evil, with biopsychosocial profiles highlighting core personality traits, particularly malignant narcissism, associated with psychopathy and its often deadly outcomes. The author’s insightful analysis separates misconceptions from reality, poses questions for critical thinking and discussion, and offers realistic suggestions for prevention. Public fascination with these violent figures—the mystique of serial killers and their popularity in the entertainment media—is explored as well. Included in the coverage: · Public interest in mass and serial murder. · Concepts of evil: where it comes from, and why people kill. · Mass murder: classification, motivation, and typologies. · Serial murder: motivation and typologies. · Current trends in prevention, and areas for improvement. · Plus instructive case studies, both famous and less-known. Mass and Serial Murder in America is illuminating reading for undergraduate and graduate students and practitioners in social science disciplines such as criminal justice, criminology, social work, psychology, forensic psychology, and related fields. It will also find an audience among educators teaching courses in these areas, as well as interested laypersons.

Popular culture would have us believe that serial killers are an obvious threat to the public, a deformed creature that snarls, drools and hides in the shadows. In reality the serial killer is less like the maniacally out-of-control character of Mr Hyde and more like the subdued Dr Jekyll, a human being with a family, a job, and ambitions. River of Blood exposes the ordinariness of the serial killer, showing how the killer blends into society, successfully avoiding the stereotype assigned to the genre.

-- The six myths of serial murder: addressing the "black hole of misinformation" that surrounds the subject. -- Detailed case studies of John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and other serial killers. -- The state-of-the-art in law enforcement investigation of serial murder. This book brings together all of what we know, what we think we know, and what we don't know about the horrific violence of serial murder. Part I introduces the subject of serial murder and presents the "six myths" of serial murder that interfere with understanding and successful investigation. Part II presents detailed case studies of four infamous serial killers, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Kenneth Bianchi and Henry Lee Lucas. Part Ill focuses on the investigation of serial murder, showing the problems law enforcement faces -- notably "linkage blindness", the inability of unwillingness of police agencies to share information on unsolved murders. This section includes an extensive discussion of fourteen different police responses to serial murder. Finally, the author -- a noted criminologist and former homicide investigator -- discusses the future of serial murder and its investigation. Students of criminology, psychology and sociology; true crime buffs; mystery writers and readers; journalists; skeptics; and criminal justice professionals.