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Violent crime scene analysis: Modus operandi, signature and staging
... Significantly, ritual must be distinguished from modus operandi (Hazelwood & Warren, 2003). Modus operandi was noted to describe aspects of the crime that are situational, and functional, in nature while the ritualistic elements were intrinsic, psychological and expressive (Douglas & Munn, 1992). Bezuidenhout (2019) defined rituals as aspects of the crime which are not required in order to commit murder, but rather the actions which personalise the murder. ...
... This can be attributed to the time, mood or external circumstantial fluctuations of the crime. In such circumstances, the murderer may have been prevented from a full and complete expression of their inner fantasies, scripts or social interaction (Douglas & Munn, 1992;Hazelwood & Warren, 2003). ...
... Furthermore, unlike modus operandi, which is described as functional in nature, ritual is noted to play a more psychological and symbolic function utilised in order to achieve expression of certain salient psychic content (Bezuidenhout, 2019;Douglas & Munn, 1992;Hazelwood & Warren, 2003;Nel, 2014). In this manner, the ritual is described as unnecessary in order to commit the crime, but it personalises the murders in a stable and inflexible way across time (Bezuidenhout, 2019;Hobson et al., 2018;Nel, 2014). ...
... Significantly, ritual must be distinguished from modus operandi (Hazelwood & Warren, 2003). Modus operandi was noted to describe aspects of the crime that are situational, and functional, in nature while the ritualistic elements were intrinsic, psychological and expressive (Douglas & Munn, 1992). Bezuidenhout (2019) defined rituals as aspects of the crime which are not required in order to commit murder, but rather the actions which personalise the murder. ...
... This can be attributed to the time, mood or external circumstantial fluctuations of the crime. In such circumstances, the murderer may have been prevented from a full and complete expression of their inner fantasies, scripts or social interaction (Douglas & Munn, 1992;Hazelwood & Warren, 2003). ...
... Furthermore, unlike modus operandi, which is described as functional in nature, ritual is noted to play a more psychological and symbolic function utilised in order to achieve expression of certain salient psychic content (Bezuidenhout, 2019;Douglas & Munn, 1992;Hazelwood & Warren, 2003;Nel, 2014). In this manner, the ritual is described as unnecessary in order to commit the crime, but it personalises the murders in a stable and inflexible way across time (Bezuidenhout, 2019;Hobson et al., 2018;Nel, 2014). ...
This study entails a psychobiography of the serial murderer, Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo (1936-1994). Serial murder has been described in forensic and psychological literature as a complex phenomenon that fascinates both scholars who work with this population group and society. Despite the ongoing fascination with this crime typology, comprehensive understanding of the intrapsychic dynamics of the serial murderer remains an area that would benefit from enhanced investigation and conceptualisation.
The primary aim of the study was to explore, describe and reconstruct the life of Chikatilo by emphasising (a) his functioning as a serial murderer by applying the primitive psychic mechanisms proposed by Claus and Lidberg’s Schahriar’s Syndrome Model of Serial Murder (SSM), and (b) his development that led to the emergence of an inferiority complex, investigated through the presence of four sub-constructs derived from Adler’s theoretical framework of Individual Psychology. The psychological model and the inferiority complex construct were utilised in this single-case psychobiography to systematically deconstruct and reconstruct Chikatilo’s life in such a manner that a comprehensive and holistic psychological understanding emerged. Andrei Chikatilo was a serial murderer who lived in the harsh environmental conditions of the Soviet Union from his birth in 1936 until his execution in 1994. As the subject, Chikatilo was selected using a non-probability purposive sampling procedure. This implies that he was selected as the subject of the study having met pre-determined criteria. Chikatilo was afforded various names including the lesopolosa killer, the Butcher of Rostov, and the Red Ripper. The lesopolosa were wooded areas in Russia and became the location to which he lured and sadistically murdered 52 women and children over a 12-year period. Chikatilo’s life offered a unique opportunity to explore the psychodynamic functioning of a serial murderer in a non-western context, and who grew up amid extreme environmental conditions that influenced his ongoing development and functioning. To date, a psychobiographical study has not been conducted on Chikatilo. The absence of previous studies provided an opportunity to explore his intrapsychic functioning and the manner in which it was influenced by his context, through the application of psychological theory to the biographical and socio-historical literature.
Chikatilo’s life was explored, described, and reconstructed through the systematic gathering, categorisation, and interpretation of publicly available biographical, historical and contextual data on the subject and the Soviet Union. Five significant historical periods were identified, as well as salient psychological data, extracted for analysis using Alexander’s model of principal indicators of psychological saliency. Thereafter, data were organised, and integrated, into conceptual matrices that facilitated analysis and the presentation of findings.
The secondary objective pertaining to the psychobiography was to test the propositions asserted by Claus and Lidberg’s Schahriar’s Syndrome Model and its constituent psychic mechanisms and Adler’s construct of the inferiority complex through the application of analytical generalisation. This was done by applying the propositions and constructs of the psychological frameworks to the real-world context of Chikatilo and aided in testing the relevance and applicability of the frameworks.
The findings of the study suggest that Chikatilo demonstrated the presence of the five primitive psychic mechanisms in his functioning as a serial murderer, and therefore met the criteria proposed by the Schahriar’s Syndrome Model (SSM). Furthermore, the findings identified the presence of the inferiority and superiority complexes that emerged during Chikatilo’s development and functioning, both as a serial murderer and in other important domains of his life. Once integrated, the findings illustrated the applicability and usefulness of the Schahriar’s Syndrome Model by Claus and Lidberg and Adler’s construct of the inferiority complex in the systematic single-case psychobiography of Chikatilo, his intrapsychic functioning and longitudinal development across the five historical periods into which his lifespan was divided.
Keywords: psychobiography, Andrei Chikatilo, serial murderer, Schahriar’s Syndrome Model, primitive psychic mechanisms, the inferiority complex, Alfred Adler
... Significantly, ritual must be distinguished from modus operandi (Hazelwood & Warren, 2003). Modus operandi was noted to describe aspects of the crime that are situational, and functional, in nature while the ritualistic elements were intrinsic, psychological and expressive (Douglas & Munn, 1992). Bezuidenhout (2019) defined rituals as aspects of the crime which are not required in order to commit murder, but rather the actions which personalise the murder. ...
... This can be attributed to the time, mood or external circumstantial fluctuations of the crime. In such circumstances, the murderer may have been prevented from a full and complete expression of their inner fantasies, scripts or social interaction (Douglas & Munn, 1992;Hazelwood & Warren, 2003). ...
... Furthermore, unlike modus operandi, which is described as functional in nature, ritual is noted to play a more psychological and symbolic function utilised in order to achieve expression of certain salient psychic content (Bezuidenhout, 2019;Douglas & Munn, 1992;Hazelwood & Warren, 2003;Nel, 2014). In this manner, the ritual is described as unnecessary in order to commit the crime, but it personalises the murders in a stable and inflexible way across time (Bezuidenhout, 2019;Hobson et al., 2018;Nel, 2014). ...
This psychobiographical study focused on South African poet, writer and ethologist Eugéne Nielen (1871–1936). His poetry and short stories have secured him a place as one of South Africa’s most renowned writers, while his ethological books and naturalistic studies have secured him international recognition. Marais was selected as subject through purposive sampling, with the aim of providing a psychological exploration and description of aspects of his life, against the backdrop of his socio-historical context. Adler’s theory of individual psychology was applied to the publicly available biographical and historical data collected on Marais. The study’s primary aim was to explore and describe Marais’s individual psychological development throughout his life. The exploratory-descriptive nature of this study, meant that the objective falls within the inductive research approach.
Specific methodological guidelines were used in the extraction and analysis of the data. Particularly, Alexander’s nine indicators of psychological saliency, which was used to assist in organising and selecting Marais's most relevant biographical data. Specific questions were also posed to the data, which enabled the extraction of relevant units of analysis that focused on the study objectives. A psycho-historical matrix was also incorporated to facilitate the data analysis, which assisted in the systematic categorisation and consistent analysis of the collected biographical data on Marais, according to the constructs of his individual psychological development, and in terms of his socio-historical contexts.
Findings suggested that Marais possibly had an inferiority complex as represented by his dependence on morphine throughout most of his adult life. Despite this he also seemed to have had a strong social interest towards people as well as animals. This was seen his love for animals, willingness to help not only his own people but the enemy in times of war, as well as his practice as an amateur doctor without asking compensation.
This study contributed to the body of knowledge on Marais, the framework of Adler’s theory of individual psychology, and the educational objectives in psychobiography.
Keywords: Psychobiography, Eugène Nielen Marais, Alfred Adler, Individual Psychology.
... The term "ritual" also appears in the views of FBI agents. Douglas and Munn (1992) observe that simply killing a victim is not enough for many perpetrators. In order to fulfil their desires they must perform additional activities that make up the ritual. ...
... The concept of activities that go beyond what is necessary to commit a crime is one of the basic theories of criminal profiling in general (e.g. Douglas, Munn, 1992;Keppel, Birnes, 2009). It is usually combined with concepts such as ritual, signature or business card. ...
... It is usually combined with concepts such as ritual, signature or business card. It is often attributed a trait of uniqueness feature and is seen as the foundation for individual identification of an offender (Douglas, Munn, 1992). Brussel's successful achievements in creating offender profiles, in particular "the Mad Bomber", are generally not questioned and have become the legend of criminal profiling. ...
James Brussel is considered the creator of the first modern characteristics of an unknown crime perpetrator and the founding father of criminal profiling. In literature of the subject this individual is usually reduced to the story of buttoned up double-breasted suit worn by “the Mad Bomber”, George Metesky, which is considered the evidence of the genius shrewdness of this New York psychiatrist and criminologist and the potential lying in criminal profiling. The method used by Brussel has not yet been systematically described. The present article fills this gap and demonstrates that the views of the American psychiatrist, based on Kretschmer’s constitutional theory, psychoanalysis and intuition, have influenced and continue to influence his followers who elaborate characteristics of unknown crime perpetrators around the world, including Poland. The article also points to possible benefits and threats to criminal proceedings that using the above method may bring about.
... Restraints used (1) Weapon improvised (14) Unclothed body (27) Disconnection from the crime scene (40) Spontaneous event (2) Physical evidence present (15) Penetration with foreign object (28) Dehuminisation of body (41) Victim known (3) Gagging (16) Body exposed (29) Covering of face i.e. blindfold (42) Intoxication (4) Targeted group/person (17) Multiple stabbing (30) Bondage used (43) Controlled scene (5) Victim a relative (18) Trophy taken (31) Staging (44) Stranger targeted (6) Quick kill (19) Ritual aspect (32) Body disposal (45) Sudden violence (7) Shooting (20) Injuries to sexual areas (33) Process focused (46) Chaotic scene (8) Rape (21) Sexualised body position (34) Act processed (47) Aggressive acts (9) Removal of body parts (22) Murdered indoors (35) Destruction of body (48) Necrophilia (10) Strangulation (23) Signs of beating (36) Removal of sex organs (49) Weapon left at scene (11) Vulnerable victim i.e. ill, elderly (24) Arson (37) Poisoned (50) Weapon planned (12) Torture (25) Killer mobile/transit (38) Murdered outdoors (51) Body not moved (13) Mutilation (26) Body transported (39) Killer stable (52) ...
... Despite traits separating into the organised-disorganised classifications there were 'rogue' crime scene criteria present to varying degrees in each cluster. The mixed offender classification first suggested by Douglas and Munn [30] appeared to account for all clusters formed across the North American and European serial killer murders sampled. Interestingly, however, the possibility of more than one type of disorganised serial killer might account for some of the findings here. ...
... There were, what can be considered as rogue traits (either organised or disorganised), present in all clusters with the exception of C1 in the European serial killer sample where the number of organised and disorganised traits co-occurred about the same. This cluster supports the classification of the mixed offender introduced by Douglas and Munn [30]. The conclusion is that there appears to be a core set of organised traits in all four clusters. ...
... Restraints used (1) Weapon improvised (14) Unclothed body (27) Disconnection from the crime scene (40) Spontaneous event (2) Physical evidence present (15) Penetration with foreign object (28) Dehuminisation of body (41) Victim known (3) Gagging (16) Body exposed (29) Covering of face i.e. blindfold (42) Intoxication (4) Targeted group/person (17) Multiple stabbing (30) Bondage used (43) Controlled scene (5) Victim a relative (18) Trophy taken (31) Staging (44) Stranger targeted (6) Quick kill (19) Ritual aspect (32) Body disposal (45) Sudden violence (7) Shooting (20) Injuries to sexual areas (33) Process focused (46) Chaotic scene (8) Rape (21) Sexualised body position (34) Act processed (47) Aggressive acts (9) Removal of body parts (22) Murdered indoors (35) Destruction of body (48) Necrophilia (10) Strangulation (23) Signs of beating (36) Removal of sex organs (49) Weapon left at scene (11) Vulnerable victim i.e. ill, elderly (24) Arson (37) Poisoned (50) Weapon planned (12) Torture (25) Killer mobile/transit (38) Murdered outdoors (51) Body not moved (13) Mutilation (26) Body transported (39) Killer stable (52) ...
... Despite traits separating into the organised-disorganised classifications there were 'rogue' crime scene criteria present to varying degrees in each cluster. The mixed offender classification first suggested by Douglas and Munn [30] appeared to account for all clusters formed across the North American and European serial killer murders sampled. Interestingly, however, the possibility of more than one type of disorganised serial killer might account for some of the findings here. ...
... There were, what can be considered as rogue traits (either organised or disorganised), present in all clusters with the exception of C1 in the European serial killer sample where the number of organised and disorganised traits co-occurred about the same. This cluster supports the classification of the mixed offender introduced by Douglas and Munn [30]. The conclusion is that there appears to be a core set of organised traits in all four clusters. ...
This study explores the application of the FBI's organised-disorganised classification to North-American and European male serial killers. Adopting the same method as Taylor, Lambeth, Green, Bone and Cahillane's 2012 study, 52 crime scene criteria were used to categorise the murders committed by 25 male European and 25 male North-American serial killers. Applying content analysis, murders committed were dichotomously coded for the presence or absence of crime scene criteria using numerous secondary sources. Two separate agglomerative hierarchical cluster analyses using Ward's method as the clustering algorithm formed two clusters for the North-American and two for the European serial killers. There were differences in the crime scene criteria for clusters between North-American and European serial murders. The 'bottom-up' approach resulted in clusters from the crime scene criteria demonstrating that there are problems associated with classifying traits as simply organised and disorganised. All clusters comprised of a degree of core organised traits-consistent with Canter, Alison, Alison and Wentink's (2004) assumption that all serial killings require a degree of organisation. Further examination of frequency of occurrence measures suggests there are subtle but inherent differences between the MO of North American and European serial killers.
... In essence, they aim to connect pairs of crimes by creating crime link associations [3]. The CL analysis is typically based on Modus Operandi (MO) or criminal behavior, which can be inferred from evidence found at crime scenes or other source of police data [8]. These MOs/behaviors are systematically compared to assess the similarities between different crimes [9]. ...
... proximity of crimes) is a more effective feature for linking crimes compared to traditional MO [36]. Indeed, due to the dynamic nature of MO, extracting its key elements is a hard task that necessitates extensive experience [8]. This difficulty in delineating MO may contribute to the scarcity of data-driven studies in crime linkage, particularly in homicides [5], as it will be discussed later. ...
Crime linkage is the process of analyzing criminal behavior data to determine whether a pair or group of crime cases are connected or belong to a series of offenses. This domain has been extensively studied by researchers in sociology, psychology, and statistics. More recently, it has drawn interest from computer scientists, especially with advances in artificial intelligence. Despite this, the literature indicates that work in this latter discipline is still in its early stages. This study aims to understand the challenges faced by machine learning approaches in crime linkage and to support foundational knowledge for future data-driven methods. To achieve this goal, we conducted a comprehensive survey of the main literature on the topic and developed a general framework for crime linkage processes, thoroughly describing each step. Our goal was to unify insights from diverse fields into a shared terminology to enhance the research landscape for those intrigued by this subject.
... The importance of the relationship between victim and offender seems debated. Douglas et al. [24] stated "the more evidence there is of overkill, the closer the relationship is between the victim and the offender", suggesting to investigators that if overkill was present, they should have concentrated their investigation on those known to the victim [16] while empirical studies [10,25] demonstrated that excessive injuries were not related to offender-victim relational categories. ...
... The analysis of the data deriving from the forensic work, through a careful examination of the victim's body and the crime scene, integrated with circumstantial data of the methodologies and dynamics of the killing, are considered fundamental in the definition of criminal profiles and personality characteristics of the offender in order to direct police investigations [24,29,30]. ...
“Overkill” is characterized by the finding of excessive wounds on the victim’s body. Despite the large use of this term, it does not have a definition in the literature yet. Our study aimed to analyze the information related to the dynamics of overkill cases, collecting objective variables, and producing a profile of the players involved in this type of homicides. Data on 71 overkill cases from reports of the autopsies performed in the Section of Legal Medicine of the University of Rome Tor Vergata from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2020 were collected. The victims and the perpetrators of overkill shared similar characteristics: they were usually male aged between 20 and 50 years, more likely in the 20–35 years range; victims however also showed another age peak in the range 50–55 years. The type of damage can be linked to the sole action of a cold weapon or the simultaneous use of multiple harmful tools with no significant differences. The most common motive proved to be a dispute for futile reasons; however, in the case of a single perpetrator of the crime, the economic and passionate motives are as frequent as the previous one. Implications of the findings and avenues for future research are discussed.
... It would seem that behaviours that are less situation-dependent and more under the offenders' control show greater consistency (Woodhams & Toye, 2007;Davies, Woodhams, & Rainbow, 2018;Tonkin, Lemeire, Santtila, & Winter, 2019). Some practitioners have called this more consistent behaviour of the offender their signature (e.g., Douglas & Munn, 1992;Keppel, 2000;Hazelwood & Warren, 2004) or psychological fingerprint (Keppel, 2000). In contrast to the modus operandi which is thought to be more susceptible to change because of learning and varying situational variables the signature (or ritualistic) behaviours are theorised to be the personal expression of an offender, unnecessary for committing the crime, and indicative of the offender's inner psychology and fantasies (ibid.). ...
... Although BCL is practiced widely all over the world and academic research on BCL has taken off well during the last decades there is an urgent lack of publications describing the varying methods that are being employed in practice . The earliest descriptions came from the profilers of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit in the United States (Douglas & Munn, 1992;Keppel, 2000;Hazelwood & Warren, 2004). More recently, descriptions from all over the world have started to emerge, including from South Africa (Labuschagne, 2006), Germany (Dern et al., 2009), the United Kingdom (Rainbow, 2014), Japan (Yokota, Kuraishi, Wachi, Otsuka, Hirama, & Watanabe, 2017), China (Chi, Lin, Jin, Xu, & Qi, 2017), and New Zealand (Tonkin & Weeks, 2021). ...
Behavioural crime linking refers to the practice of trying to tie two or more offences to the same offender using behaviour observable at the crime scene. It rests on the assumptions that offenders behave consistently enough from one offence to another, and distinctively enough from other offenders allowing offences to be successfully linked together. Conceptualised in the 70s, and developed methodologically with increased scientific rigour from the 90s, the last decade has seen a sharp rise in published studies on behavioural crime linking. From empirical validation of the underlying assumptions to mapping out practice and more ecologically valid tests of linkage accuracy, the field has developed considerably. Considering that investigating homicide is resource intensive, not to mention serial homicide, reliable and valid behavioural crime linking has the potential to aid and prioritise investigative avenues and help solve serial homicide.
Most studies on serial homicide have been carried out on North American samples. While some research has studied the consistency and distinctiveness of serial homicide offenders, few have empirically tested models of behavioural crime linking and linkage accuracy with serial homicide. Another shortcoming in behavioural crime linking research is the use of mostly serial cases to model crime linking, even though real crime databases include both serial and one-off offences. Some studies have tested the effect of added one-offs on the linkage accuracy of burglary and rape, but none so far the effect this would have on homicide. Additionally, while some studies have compared serial homicide offences to one-off homicides, none have tested whether it would be possible to predict whether a homicide belongs to a series or is a singular offence. Cognitive bias, especially confirmation bias or the expectancy effect, has been shown to have a considerable effect on crime investigation. No studies to date have explored the effect of such bias in behavioural crime linking.
The general aim of the thesis was to increase ecological validity of behavioural crime linking research, especially with regard to sampling choices and analyses that strive to answer questions relevant for homicide investigation. The main sample consisted of 116 Italian serial homicides, committed in 23 separate series of homicide. Additionally, information about 45 cases of hard-to-solve one-off homicide was gathered, coded, and added to the sample. Study I found seven behavioural dimensions of offending (e.g., sexually motivated homicides and aspects of control-behaviour) in line with previous research. Notably, also other motives than sexual were found in the killings. A majority of offences (63%) were correctly classified to their actual series in the predictive part of the study. Study II was an experiment that investigated whether knowledge of series membership increased perceived (coded) behavioural similarity in homicides committed by the same offender. While no support was found for a strong expectancy effect, the experimental task may have lacked in sufficient complexity, and replication is thus needed. Study III found several key differences between serial and singular homicides and was able to successfully use these differences to predict with good accuracy whether an offence was part of a series. Study IV combined all the advances in the methodology thus far and showed that behavioural crime linking was still viable even with a large proportion (10:1) of one-off homicides added into the sample. As a function of added one-off homicides, the specificity of the model worsened (more false positives), as did the proportion of offences belonging to a series found near the top of a ranked listing from more behaviourally similar to less behaviourally similar. Overall model accuracy remained good, though, further validating the practice of behavioural crime linking with more ecologically valid data.
The studies of the present thesis contribute to the methodology of behavioural crime linking research. Replication on local crime databases is needed to maximise the practical usefulness of the models in different jurisdictions. Going forward, a close-knit collaboration between researchers and practitioners is called for, to keep the research relevant for practice and to develop evidence-based practice. As we gain a clearer picture of the accuracy and error rate of behavioural crime linking models, their usefulness increase in both the criminal investigative phase and in the trial phase with behavioural crime linking being presented as expert evidence.
... Electrical-mechanical failures, high-jacking by on-board intruders or by external electronic means and irrational planned or unplanned behaviour of the pilots are among the most commonly cited conjecture. To date, there have been little or no public discourse on the causes due to, among other things, the prevailing social psychology (see, for example, Douglas and Munn, 1992;Olson, 2005) of the pilots and the geopolitical elements of investigating this civil aviation crash. ...
... The new comprehensive undertaking should include all direct and circumstantial physical, sociological, political and psychological evidence pertaining to motives and opportunities. It is important to note that 'crime scene' can be staged for a variety of reasons including misdirecting investigation purposely or to cast blame on others (see, for example, Douglas and Munn, 1992;Gerberth, 1996;Turvey, 2000;Caso et al., 2005;Ferguson, 2010;Chancellor and Graham, 2014;Pettler, 2015;Augenstein, 2016). It is generally known that in most crime scene investigation anywhere in the World, unbiased thorough investigation and subsequent vigorous prosecution are often hampered by political interferences. ...
... Next the analyst would attempt to identify and specify the pertinent behaviors in one incident in order to match it to other available crime reports (Grubin et al., 2001). There has been some discussion concerning whether particular behaviors which contribute to a crime's 'modus operandus,' which are clearly related to the offender's attempt to commit an offense effectively, ought to be utilized in the evaluation to connect crimes (Douglas & Munn, 1992), since modus operandus is a learned behavior and suitable to change. Some researchers do caution about the use of that for linking crimes. ...
... Дакле, ту се прије свега мисли на чињенице које се односе на то у којој мјери криминалисти који раде на појединим линијама рада (крвни и сексуални деликти и разбојништва), познају улогу и значај криминалистичког профилисања, као и у којој мјери у свом раду примјењују профилисање личности учиниоца кривичног дјела и географско профилисање у проналажењу извршиоца кривичног дјела. Burgess & Douglas, 1988;Douglas & Munn, 1992;Holmes & Holmes, 1992;Muller, 2000;Siegel, Knupfer & Saukko, 2000;Симоновић, 2002;Petherick, 2003;Canter, 2004;Last & Fritzon, 2005;Kocis, 2007;Doan & Snook, 2008;Holmes & Holmes, 2009;Stevenson, Rossmo, Knell & Le Comber, 2012;Kocsis & Palermo, 2013;Miller, 2014;Репишти, 2016;Fox & Farrington, 2018;Поповић & Ступар, 2022;итд.). У раду је примјењена IMRAD структура. ...
... As Douglas and Munn have noted, first offences most often differ considerably from subsequent offences (Douglas & Munn, 1992) and that is borne out in this case. The offender changed the body disposal site after the death of the first victim; the success he found in leaving subsequent victims in a churchyard ensured that it was the same disposal site for future victims. ...
Whilst crime scene staging in homicide, as an attempt to avoid detection, has attracted some scholarly attention in recent years, staging a body disposal site has not been similarly scrutinised. Indeed, whilst some statistical studies note moving a homicide victim's body as a distinct crime scene behaviour, there is little discussion or analysis of body disposal sites generally. This case seeks to illustrate how a body disposal site may be staged—in three different forms—and to supplement existing quantitative data on offender behaviours undertaken to avoid detection. In so doing, a new category of staging is proposed: staging a body disposal site.
... A second issue which might impact on the ability to link crimes using behaviour is offender learning and adaptation. As offenders learn what is effective (Keppel, 1995), attempt to work around crime prevention measures (Tilley et al., 2004), and gain confidence (Douglas & Munn, 1992), it is possible that their modus operandi (i.e. the way they commit the crime) will evolve (Yokota & Watanabe, 2002). This lack of behavioural consistency would create a challenge for crime linkage. ...
Research has shown that the majority of offences are committed by a minority of offenders. Therefore, any method to help identify prolific/serial offenders is of benefit to the police. Behavioural Crime Linkage (BCL) is a method of identifying series of offences committed by the same person(s) using the behaviour displayed during the offence. This can include, but is not limited to, target selection, control and weapon use, approach, property stolen, and temporal and spatial trends. This chapter will explain the theoretical framework for BCL and common methods for testing the accuracy of this method (e.g. logistic regression, Receiver Operating Characteristic
). The chapter will then outline how BCL has been applied in robbery. It will discuss how the success of BCL is influenced by factors such as type of location (e.g. urban versus rural) and group offending
(e.g. can you link offences committed by groups?). This chapter will draw heavily on the PhD research of the author but will cite other literature (e.g. evidence to support the theoretical framework for BCL) where relevant.KeywordsBehavioural crime linkageCrime linkageRobbery
... Based on these findings, the researcher speculates that one of the underlying themes of Gacy's ritualistic performances was an attempt to restore his early painful experiences through reversed roles and inflicting the pain he had experienced on his victims. Douglas and Munn (1992) explained that "the signature aspect stays the same, whether it is the first offense or one committed ten years later. The ritual may evolve, but the theme remains constant" (pp. ...
A PSYCHOBIOGRAPHY OF THE SERIAL KILLER: JOHN WAYNE GACEY
... Pinto and Wilson (1990) found that strangulation was the most common method used by serial killers to murder their victims, with stabbing and shooting following closely. Douglas and Munn (1992) emphasized on concepts such as signature and staging. ...
This chapter will try to understand the intricacies of mob psychology. Mob control is one of the most difficult tasks which law enforcement agencies have to perform as it is a big challenge to control a mob or crowd without violating human rights. It is imperative that the law enforcement agencies study about the psychology of the crowd; else it will not be possible to control the crowd effectively by only wielding force. This chapter will discuss the various theories regarding crowd/mob behaviour, supplemented by case examples. The aim of this chapter is to help the readers understand the causes behind mob behaviour. Understanding mob psychology can help law enforcement agencies and mediators to observe and communicate with a mob in an appropriate manner. Mob psychology can help in the identification of leaders and rational people among the mob, facilitating effective communication, diversion, and cooperation with the mob. This chapter will attempt to unfold the intricacies of mob psychology which, in turn, will help the readers to understand why mob behaves in a particular manner and how they can be controlled in an effective manner.
... The victims were often found either in garbage bins or under rubbish piles in alleyways. It does appear he changed his modus operandi, a particular method or way of killing (Douglas & Munn, 1992), for Princess Berthomieux and Valerie McCorvey, as they were strangled to death rather than shot. Lonnie Franklin Jr. had one lengthy cooling-off period after Enietra Washington survived an attack, as shown in Fig. 3. ...
Understanding cooling-off periods is an important step towards conceptualising life course events of serial killers, between their murders. Analysing the behaviours of serial killers between each homicide may give insight into when or if they will kill again, as well as informing definition criteria of what constitutes a serial killer as opposed to mass or spree killing. Research in this area typically analyses aggregate, large-scale data; however, this can often miss the idiosyncratic, specific details that are needed in real-word cases. To provide a more detailed account, an in-depth case study approach was taken to analyse the behaviours of Dennis Rader and Lonnie Franklin Jr., two well-known American serial killers, throughout their criminal career and identify patterns in their dormancy periods between murders. The analysis highlights that trophy-taking, the use of letters to communicate with the public, and offending-orientated fantasy may increase the length of a cooling-off period by suppressing homicidal urges. In contrast, the need for homicidal control may influence the effectiveness of such suppressing factors over time. The present research suggests that life-events can influence intervals between murders, even acting as a catalyst at times, which may help legal decision making.
... According to him, the bomb made by Dr. Azahari has an aesthetic value, although it has no effect on the success or failure of the bombing. According to Douglas, J. & Munn, C. (1992), the signature shows the existence of themes, motivations, and personal needs of the offender, such as anger, wanting to get fantasy, etc. However, that does not affect the success or failure of one crime. ...
... Gangster profiling is an important investigative tool used by law enforcement, psychologists, academics, criminologists, crime scene investigators and consultants to help identify the major personality, behavioral, and demographic characteristics of an offender based upon an analysis of the crime scene behaviors [11,12]. Bullying is a problematic issue in Malaysia schools. ...
... As in the articles already outlined, Douglas and Munn (1992) also stressed the importance of both the MO and signature for crime linkage. They also make the important point that an offender's MO may be subject to change, not just because of offender learning but also because of the effect a victim's reaction may have on the offender's subsequent actions. ...
Crime linkage has been the subject of increasing attention in academic research. Research has found support for the principles of behavioural consistency and distinctiveness, which underpin crime linkage, but this does not provide direct evidence as to whether crime linkage is useful in practice. This literature review draws together documentation that refers to the practice of crime linkage, from assessing analysts' efficacy, to discussing the usage of computerised tools to assist with the linkage process, to providing a comprehensive outline of the process itself. The implications of the amount and type of information currently available are discussed, including the variations in practice and terminology that were explored. Avenues for future investigation and the manner in which future research could be conducted are set out in a research agenda.
... The murder itself is not the only focus. As Douglas and Munn reported [39] "When the killer finally acts out, some aspect of the murder will demonstrate his unique personal expression that has been replayed in fantasies over and over again. ( . . . ) Killers must often act out fantasies in some manner over and beyond inflicting death producing injuries". ...
The term overkill usually indicates the infliction of massive injuries by far exceeding the extent necessary to kill the victim. Only few articles or textbooks report this term that is mostly associated with sex-motivated homicides where injuries, generally stabbing, are directed to significant sexual parts of the body. The aim of this study is to shed light on the phenomenon of overkill by reviewing some cases personally analyzed by the authors from both a forensic pathology rather than forensic psychiatry views. The reported results coupled with the literature revision confirmed the importance of a complete analysis of all criminological elements for better defining overkill cases.
... 1013). Indeed, the prefacing fantasies of the offender, as Douglas and Munn (1992) note, "give birth to violent crime" and when those fantasies are finally acted upon, some aspect of the homicide, or other violent crime, will demonstrate a unique and personal expression of the offender based on those fantasies (p. 3). ...
The existing literature on the killing method of choice for sexually motivated serial killers suggests strangulation as the preferable means of homicide, when the victim is female. When homicide victims are male, however, existing research suggests that firearms and blades are preferable methods of causing death. A case is presented here of a sexually motivated male serial killer who exclusively targeted males and who chose strangulation as his means of killing. Analysis suggests that not only is the psychological constitution of the killer an important factor in understanding how they kill victims but, also, the nature of the sexual act is an important determinant in the method of killing in male on male sexually motivated killing.
... Another important aspect of staging is that the offender usually has a relationship with the decedent [2,5,17,22]. This statement is confirmed by the present report because in both cases the murderer was or had been a partner of the victim. ...
Geberth in 2006 stated that "staging is a conscious criminal action on the part of an offender to thwart an investigation." In the present paper two crime scenes staged by handling digital evidence are reported. The first case involves a 50-year-old woman who had been living with the offender for three years before he murdered her at the end of their relationship. He staged the scene as a sex-related crime committed by an unknown perpetrator. The second case concerns a young woman who was found dead in Southern Italy in January 2004 with a gunshot on the forehead. The boyfriend, responsible for the murder, had staged the crime scene as a suicide. Three years earlier in Germany, he had also murdered the victim's mother. In both cases, the correlation of physical and digital forensic evidence was crucial in the definition of the manner of death.
This chapter on criminal profiling and femicide provides an analysis of the methodologies and challenges involved in profiling perpetrators of gender-based homicide. It begins by defining femicide and distinguishing it from other forms of homicide, emphasising its roots in gender inequality and violence against women. The chapter then delves into the role of criminal profiling as a tool for law enforcement, outlining its historical development, theoretical foundations, and practical applications in solving femicide cases. Central to the discussion is the profiling process, which includes crime scene analysis, victimology, and behavioural patterns of offenders. By integrating psychological theories with forensic science, the chapter demonstrates how a multidisciplinary approach enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of criminal profiling in femicide cases. The conclusion underscores the need for ongoing research and training to refine profiling techniques and ensure they are used ethically and effectively.
Research on body disposal methods in cases of sexual homicide primarily focused on the movement of the victim's body from the crime scene to the dump site. Comparatively, little work has looked at whether crime scene analysis can indicate the final manner of disposal (i.e., how the body is found at the scene), despite the knowledge that these unique behaviors can aid investigators narrowing down suspects using readily available information from the crime scene. The current study used 662 solved cases of extrafamilial sexual homicide from an international database in a sequential logistic regression to test various predictors against the method of body disposal. Results indicate that inserting foreign objects into the victim, dismembering the victim, or engaging in post-mortem sexual activity is predictive of not openly displaying the body. Furthermore , the body is less likely to be openly displayed if the victim is a sex worker. Overkill is more likely to lead to the body being openly displayed. Implications for investigations of sexual homicide include the need to examine more than just infrequent unusual acts and to look at the entirety of the criminal event to gain a more well-rounded understanding of how offender behaviors can indicate particular body disposal methods.
The scientific study aims to analyze the relationship between shame and guilt among sex offenders, as well as the relationship on Adverse Childhood Effects (ACE) in relation to feelings of shame and guilt and the commission of sexual offences. In this context, these data were gathered based on the application of the TOSCA questionnaire in the Rahova Penitentiary on 167 subjects, deprived of their liberty, these steps being carried out between January and March 2022, the participation being on a voluntary basis.
During the research related to these licensing works, it was attempted to obtain information and knowledge for the purpose of validating, partially validating or invalidation of working hypotheses. The outcome of this scientific approach offers new perspectives in understanding the role that feelings of guilt and shame play in preventing crimes of sexual nature.
Area measurement has a high priority in mathematics school education. Nevertheless, many students have problems understanding the concept of area measurement. An AR tool for visualizing square units on objects in the real world is developed to enable teachers to support understanding already in primary school. This work-in-progress paper presents the initial test version and discusses the first teaching experiment results. The students’ feedback and use of the app showed possible adaptations of the AR tool, e.g., that the idea of dynamic geometry could be incorporated in the future.
The 8th annual International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN2022) was the first iLRN event to offer a hybrid experience, with two days of presentations and activities on the iLRN Virtual Campus (powered by ©Virbela), followed by three days on location at the FH University of Applied Sciences BFI in Vienna, Austria.
Every person who commits a criminal offense tries both to cover up his criminal activity and to remove traces at the place of execution that would be incriminating for him and could bring him in connection with the criminal offense. However, despite such efforts the place where a certain criminal event took place, in most cases is a place where it is possible to find different types of traces and objects related to the crime. Most of these traces and objects, often have their origin and are related to a specific crime. However, traces and objects can be found that are not related to the specific crime and perpetrator or have some remote connection but are not crucial for its elucidation. Resolving such a dilemma implies determining the relevant relationship between the traces and objects found at the scene of the criminal event and the criminal act and its perpetrator. In that case, criminal (forensic) processing of the crime scene is an activity that is crucial for establishing legally relevant facts and for the success of criminal proceedings. The paper discusses the specifics of criminal – forensic processing of the crime scene. The existence of different types of traces at the crime scene is pointed out and the importance of their finding, fixing, interpretation and packaging is emphasized. Special emphasis is placed on the need to determine the causal consequential links between the traces and objects found and the specific criminal offense and the perpetrator, i.e., their probative credibility in the context of the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
The phenomenon of serial killing was the basis of criminal profiling in the West, and till date, there exists extensive literature on serial killers of the West. Yet, there is very little scientific research in this area from the East or South East. This chapter therefore specifically focuses on the study of serial killers in India. A content analysis of media articles published in both print and online databases brought to light around one hundred incidents of serial killings reported in the last forty years in India. These numbers should be considered as a ‘tip of the iceberg’, if one takes into account the vast population of India and its significant differences in reporting of serial crime by the media. The analysis shows that there are frequent incidences of serial killings in most states, but research into this abysmal phenomenon is in its infancy in India. The chapter discusses certain key strategies of criminal psychology which have significant bearings on investigation of serial killing and adds to our understanding of serial killing as a concept based on the nature of multiple murderers in the Indian prisons. Findings from previous global literature lend some understanding of the types of serial killers, modus operandi, characteristics, and motivation for killing. This information is contextualized with three case studies on serial killers conducted in a first-of-its-kind study in India. The chapter further introspects the ill-preparedness of the Indian criminal justice system in dealing with serial killers and emphasizes the need to adequately equip itself in dealing with such cases in future.
The article presents issues related to the creation of a signature of serial offender. Using known dependencies and functions used in the natural sciences, which describe the iterative process of changes in the environment, the speed, range, time of emergence and augmentation of the psychopathology of a serial offender were determined. The article is the first in a series of publications describing the use of computer aided heuristic analysis in the process of detecting perpetrators of serial crime (ViCLAS). The paper presents the impact of the environment in the formative period on the evolution of the perpetrator's psyche. Using the Pierre-Francois Verhulst's equation and Feigenbaum's constant, the direction, speed and cognitive limits in the signature development process were visualized. The concept of Signature is described, as well as the differences between Signature and Modus Operandi.
Beginning on December 30th, 1978, and lasting until January 26th, 1983, over a period of slightly more than four years, 15 young men vanished from north London. The majority of them were either homeless or homosexual men. These victims, between 14 and 26 years old, were murdered, dissected, and disposed of. Their murders were finally discovered, and the discoveries ultimately led to the arrest of 38-year-old Dennis Andrew Nilsen on February 9th, 1983, following complaints of a blockage in his property’s drains. The subsequent police investigation uncovered Nilsen’s modus operandi. He typically lured his victims to his apartment by offering them alcohol and/or shelter. Once he had given them alcohol and food, he strangled them, typically with a ligature, either to death or into unconsciousness. If he strangled the victims into unconsciousness, Nilsen would then drown them in his bathtub, sink, or a bucket of water, before he performed a set ritual. This ritual included bathing, dressing, and retaining the victims’ bodies in his apartment for a period of time before dismembering the corpses. Nilsen later disposed of the remains of the victims either by burning them or flushing the pieces down the toilet. Nilsen would either masturbate as he viewed the nude bodies of his victims or engage in sexual acts with the corpses. On November 4th, 1983, Nilsen was convicted of six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, without eligibility for parole for at least 25 years. Given his heinous killing spree, he was dubbed “the Muswell Hill Murderer” and “the Kindly Killer.”
This represents one of several sections of "A Bibliography Related to Crime Scene Interpretation with Emphases in Geotaphonomic and Forensic Archaeological Field Techniques, Nineteenth Edition" (The complete bibliography is also included at ResearchGate.net.). This is the most recent edition of a bibliography containing resources for multiple areas of crime scene, and particularly outdoor crime scene, investigations. It replaces the prior edition and contains approximately 10,000 additional citations. As an ongoing project, additional references, as encountered, will be added to future editions.
The impact of one’s culture on daily activities is inescapable. That impact, whether conscious or not, must in some ways extend to the commission of crimes as well as victim reactions. The compiler witnessed this in the investigation of the abduction and murder of a young Bosnian girl who had resettled in the United States with more than 8,000 other refugees from the Balkan Wars of the early 1990s. The ease with which her neo-Nazi murderer was able to enter the homes of the Bosnian refugees, and ultimately kidnap this victim, was partly the result of the cultural experiences of the victimized families who feared law enforcement in their home country and so were reluctant to report the preadtor who introduced himself into their community as a health inspector. This category includes citations beyond those about death rituals and includes references about criminal psychology, cultural studies, and forensic psychiatry. A greater understanding of the psychological and cultural motivation subjects might have in committing crimes will impact approaches to searching for, and processing, evidence. One need not be a behavioral scientist or criminal profiler to realize that a subject diagnosed with paranoia might dispose of a victim in a manner different than a sociopath. An example of cultural influence in the selection of a victim’s disposal site is the case of Jeremiah James Bringsplenty. Accounts of this 1992 case included that of the abuse and murder of Jeremiah by family acquaintances who were babysitting the infant in his Clarksville, Tennessee home. Both the victim and the subjects were of Native American ancestry. The subjects left Tennessee for the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota with plans to bury Jeremiah near relatives. Because of decomposition, however, they were forced to stop outside Lincoln, Nebraska to bury the remains. This section also contains references valuable for investigators interviewing subjects and witnesses. This category and “General and Cultural Anthropology of Death” overlap to some degree. The examples or accounts examined in the resources within this section involve a spectrum of physical traumas which might befall victims of homicide or suicide. For that reason, the reader/research should also look in Taphonomy-Trauma for related citations.
(3305 citations)
In the 4 decades since offender profiling (OP) was established, hundreds of journal articles, books, book chapters, reports, and magazine articles have been published on the topic, and the technique has been used by countless law enforcement agencies around the globe. However, despite the popularity and extensive literature published on OP, very little is known about its evolution, current state, or findings of the field to date. Therefore, this study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of 426 publications on OP from 1976 through 2016. Results of this systematic review suggest that there have been considerable improvements in the scientific rigor and self-assessment being conducted in the discipline, although in total, few studies have used a strong empirical approach to develop new profiles. Even fewer evaluations of the effectiveness of OP have been conducted. The first summary of offender profiles proposed for major crimes in OP literature is also presented, with results indicating some recurrent themes in profiles, but wide variations in the number, name, and description of the profiles often found. A meta-analysis of case linkage analysis research indicates that this area is statistically sophisticated, and has yielded moderate to strong accuracy rates for linking crimes to a single offender. Finally, the first analysis of the most prolific authors, researchers, departments, and outlets for OP research, and the methods, approach, and most cited publications in OP are identified. Suggestions for future research on OP and the potential impact that this may have on policy and practice are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Criminal profiling (CP) is often used to refer to a wide variety of investigative and/or forensic techniques that involve the analysis of criminal behaviour. Both Australia and New Zealand have established major criminal profiling units which collect and analyse data to provide law enforcement agencies with evidence-based offender profiles in order to narrow an offender search or predict offender behaviour. This chapter unpacks the history of CP in Australia and its variant competing schools of thought before critically examining the nexus between investigative/clinical/forensic experience and behaviourally driven empirical data used to infer likely offender characteristics by analysing their criminal behaviour, and the extent to which CP can assist police investigations.
Imajući u vidu činjenicu da je kriminalno ponašanje uslovljeno dejstvom kognitivnih i kognitivnih faktora, osnovna pretpostavka od koje se u istraživanju pošlo je, da u individualnoj seriji silovatelji u određenim sekvencama izvršenja krivičnog dela, pokazuju jasnu individualnu varijabilnost. U tom smislu, u radu je prikazana analiza tri individualne serije silovanja, koja je obuhvatala dve komponente odnosno manifestacije ponašanja: modus operandi i kriminalni „potpis“.
U radu su korišćeni podaci Odeljenja za suzbijanje krvnih i seksualnih delikata, Uprave kriminalističke policije, Policijske uprave za grad Beograd, koji su obuhvatali podatke za tri višestruka izvršioca krivičnog dela silovanja, od kojih je jadan izvršilac u vreme izvršenja prvog silovanja imalo 30 godina, drugi 24 godine, a treći 25 godina.
Rezultati analize pokazuju da su silovatelji u individualnoj seriji ponavljali određene obrasce ponašanja tokom faze pristupa, faze napada i seksualnog ophođenja. Međutim u pogledu operativnog značaja, mišljenja samo da se jedino podatak u vezi seksualnog ophođenja silovatelja prema žrtvi, može smatrati karakterističnim obrascem ponašanja, iz najmanje nekoliko razloga: Prvo, veza između seksualnog ophođenja i fantazije je dvosmerna. Seksualna aktivnost silovatelja proizilazi iz njegove fantazije, budući da ona određuje njegovo ponašanje. Drugo, seksualna fantazija se „osnažuje“ jedino kroz način na koji se silovatelj ophodi prema žrtvi. I konačno, seksualno ponašanje je simbolično, a ne funkcionalno, pa je prema tome i jedinstveno.
Ključne reči: višestruki izvršioci krivičnog dela silovanja, individualna serija silovanja, obrazac ponašanja silovatelja, modus operandi, kriminalni „potpis“.
Dass Marcus Iunius Brutus oder John Wilkes Booth seinerzeit mit den Verschwörungen zur Beseitigung ihrer jeweiligen Staatsoberhäupter unerkannt davongekommen seien, kann man heute niemandem mehr weismachen. Wir wissen zu viel. Den Zweck allfälliger Versuche keuschen Verschweigens von Namen und Absichten hat uns nämlich schon in der Kindheit das Märchen gelehrt und ihn uns zugleich verdächtig gemacht.
Ein zentrales Anliegen der Fallanalyse- und Täterprofilforschung ist das Entdecken und Optimieren geeigneter Analysemethoden zur Täterermittlung bei unaufgeklärten, schwerwiegenden Kriminalfällen. Gegenwärtig sind international eine Reihe von Institutionen damit beschäftigt, wissenschaftliche Methoden zu reflektieren, um ihre Effektivität in der praktischen Anwendung zu erproben. Während sich einige Länder an den Ideen und Vorgehensweisen des FBI orientieren und sie den Bedürfnissen des eigenen Kulturkreises anpassen 1, erarbeiten andere Einrichtungen eigene Konzepte2 die oftmals aus dem sozialwissenschaftlichen Methoden- und Forschungsrepertoire stammen.
From Tattoo to Saw, this book considers mainstream cinema's representation of the viscerally dominated and marked body. Examining a shift in the late twentieth century to narratives that highlight subjection, endurance and willed-acquiescence, it probes the confluence of pain, pleasure and consent to analyse the implications of the change.
As cybercrime continues to be an increasing and evolving threat, attention must turn toward long-term solutions. Simply blocking these attacks does not provide such long-term solutions, it only allows for cybercriminals to continually improve their attacks, which is relatively easy to do in the current environment. Attribution, leading to criminal justice, is one of the most promising ways to increase the risks associated with performing cybercrime, and therefore providing a way to reduce, in the long term, the prevalence of cybercrime. In this chapter, we investigate the concept of relative attribution, including the background, the techniques, and the limitations to the current approaches. We also investigate future research trends and possibilities.
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