Four Identifiable Groups of Serial Killers

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Defining Serial Killers is not without its problems and criminologists have argued long and hard over them. Generally a serial killer is taken to mean one that has killed three or more victims in a period of thirty days or longer. They shouldn’t be confused with ‘spree’ or ‘mass’ murderers who kill several victims all at once.

The current four types of identification are as follows:

Power/Control:

This is where the killer receives gratification from having the victim under his control. This type of murderer will get his pleasure from the victim being at his utter mercy rather than partaking in sexual acts. His excitement and pleasure is because he feels he has utter power over another, who is helpless to stop him.

Hedonistic:

The killer achieves a thrill in the act of killing. The fact that he is the giver of a death sentence to his victims is the only motive he needs and he derives great pleasure in the act.

Visionary:

This type of killer thinks he has heard voices or has had/dreamt up visions of someone telling him whom to kill. It could be a particular person or a certain category of people. Some killers think that this voice comes from God and others believe they have been taken over by a demon.

Mission:

This is where the killer feels it is his goal in life to exterminate a certain type/group of people. There are no voices/visions/dreams involved. It is a mission he has given himself.

In general serial killers concentrate their efforts almost exclusively on only five groups of people. They are the elderly, infants, gay men, prostitutes and young people on the move. It is a ghastly truth that females rather than males dominate nearly all groups bar that of gay men. This is probably because the vast majority of serial killers have been men.

The most likely victim of a serial killer is likely to be an elderly lady in Britain, whereas the most likely victim of a murderer would be a young boy.

It seems that the serial killer as a whole is attracted to the most vulnerable members of society.

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