ATTENTION: This article is about a pretty sensible topic. We do not condone actions by serial killers in any way, this was written out of pure curiosity.
The criminologists and institutions such as the FBI identify different types of serial killers. In general they can be classified into two broad categories: organized and disorganized . Another partly independent classification concerns the specific motives of the murderer.
• The organized types are shiny killers, often very intelligent, methodical in planning the crimes. They maintain a high level of control over the progress of the crime; not infrequently they have specific knowledge of police methods, which they apply in order to scientifically conceal evidence. They closely follow the progress of the investigations through the mass media and conceive their murders as high-level projects. Often this type of killer has an ordinary social life, friends, lovers, or even a family.
• The disorganized types act impulsively, often killing when the occasion arises, without any real planning. Often they have a low cultural level and a poor IQ; they are not methodical, they do not conceal traces, although they are sometimes able to escape investigation for some time, mainly by moving quickly and thanks to the inherently "disordered" nature of their behavior over long spans of time. This type of criminal generally has an extremely deficient social and emotional life and sometimes some form of mental disorder.
The criminologists and institutions such as the FBI identify different types of serial killers. In general they can be classified into two broad categories: organized and disorganized . Another partly independent classification concerns the specific motives of the murderer.
• The organized types are shiny killers, often very intelligent, methodical in planning the crimes. They maintain a high level of control over the progress of the crime; not infrequently they have specific knowledge of police methods, which they apply in order to scientifically conceal evidence. They closely follow the progress of the investigations through the mass media and conceive their murders as high-level projects. Often this type of killer has an ordinary social life, friends, lovers, or even a family.
• The disorganized types act impulsively, often killing when the occasion arises, without any real planning. Often they have a low cultural level and a poor IQ; they are not methodical, they do not conceal traces, although they are sometimes able to escape investigation for some time, mainly by moving quickly and thanks to the inherently "disordered" nature of their behavior over long spans of time. This type of criminal generally has an extremely deficient social and emotional life and sometimes some form of mental disorder.
This classification is reflected in the crime scene through indicators, more or less significant, which can help investigators to draw a first profile of the perpetrator. In particular, the level of organization can be deduced from the presence or not on the crime scene of the weapon used, from the type of the latter, from the verification of the correspondence between the place of killing and the place of discovery, from the presence of traces or other elements useful for identifying the person responsible.
Specifically, we can say how an organized type tends to bring the weapon or weapons they will use to commit it to the scene of the crime, as well as take them away once their criminal design is completed. Conversely, a disorganized type will tend to use objects found at the crime scene and, at times, they will be able to leave them in place when they escape.
The presence of traces such as latent footprints on the scene reveals a typical disorganization of the second type while we will hardly find useful elements if the person responsible belongs to the first category. It must be said that these, like other indicators, become part of a criminological profile of the author which, far from being certain and irrefutable proof, can however constitute a valid help in the search for the person responsible.
Specifically, we can say how an organized type tends to bring the weapon or weapons they will use to commit it to the scene of the crime, as well as take them away once their criminal design is completed. Conversely, a disorganized type will tend to use objects found at the crime scene and, at times, they will be able to leave them in place when they escape.
The presence of traces such as latent footprints on the scene reveals a typical disorganization of the second type while we will hardly find useful elements if the person responsible belongs to the first category. It must be said that these, like other indicators, become part of a criminological profile of the author which, far from being certain and irrefutable proof, can however constitute a valid help in the search for the person responsible.
Types of motivations
Serial killers can also be classified into different categories based on the motivations that lead them to kill, that is, the "motive" of the crimes.
• Visionaries/hallucinated: contrary to what one might assume, it is not common for serial killers to have major mental disorders, such as schizophrenia. In some rare cases, however, a serial killer may fit this stereotype and literally kill "following the instructions of voices in their head" or as a result of hallucinatory- type experiences. Herbert Mullin slaughtered thirteen people because a rumor told him that this sacrifice would have saved California from an earthquake. Ed Gein thought he could preserve his mother's soul by eating the bodies of women who physically resembled her.
• "Missionaries", ritual murders and Muti Murders: some serial killers conceive their murders as a mission. For example, the purpose of a serial killer "on a mission" may be to "cleanse society".
I hope I didn't freak you out too much but this is all I remember for now and I won't get into the specific crimes.
See you next week!
Illustrations by Elena
Serial killers can also be classified into different categories based on the motivations that lead them to kill, that is, the "motive" of the crimes.
• Visionaries/hallucinated: contrary to what one might assume, it is not common for serial killers to have major mental disorders, such as schizophrenia. In some rare cases, however, a serial killer may fit this stereotype and literally kill "following the instructions of voices in their head" or as a result of hallucinatory- type experiences. Herbert Mullin slaughtered thirteen people because a rumor told him that this sacrifice would have saved California from an earthquake. Ed Gein thought he could preserve his mother's soul by eating the bodies of women who physically resembled her.
• "Missionaries", ritual murders and Muti Murders: some serial killers conceive their murders as a mission. For example, the purpose of a serial killer "on a mission" may be to "cleanse society".
I hope I didn't freak you out too much but this is all I remember for now and I won't get into the specific crimes.
See you next week!
Illustrations by Elena