Current research I am conducting is around multiple murders and murderers. It will be done by content analysis as there is so much information out there already and I don't really want to interview killers just yet.

 

The research questions I am musing over are as follows:

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Is serial killing a mental health condition or does social conditions develop a person into a serial killer?

• Killing is not a normal (what is normal?) behaviour.

• Nature vs. Nurture debate.

• Not seen as criminally insane as they know what they do is wrong but they continue to do it anyway.

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Why are there fewer multiple murders, perpetrated by one offender, in the twenty-first century than in the second half of the twentieth century?

• The high point of serial killing was in the 1980s. 

• More forensics as part of a police investigation could mean that the offender will get caught after their first murder so they won't go on to kill again, until they are released from prison.

 

What makes a serial killer?

• FBI has defined what a serial killer is, along with other types of multiple killers, but it defines it within the actions and not intent of the killer.

• There maybe many potential serial killers in prison who are not as defined as such.

• The parole system will let these people out to reoffend.

• They can get away with it. It is difficult to solve stranger killings. Some are unsolved.

 

Does today's society encourage killings through media saturation as they have a moment of fame and others learn from this?

• Social learning theory could answer this.

• A lot of theories on this but does not include social media. 

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THESE IDEAS ARE BEING DEVELOPED ON AND WILL BE WRITTEN UP IN ARTICLES AND, HOPEFULLY, A BOOK AT THE END OF THE RESEARCH. 

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