Serial murder

Jack Levin and Julie B. Wiest

Chapter 17 in Research Handbook on Violent Crime and Society, 2025, pp 273-285 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Although the incidence of serial murder has always represented a minuscule portion of the overall US homicide rate, the phenomenon has long engendered substantial public attention, anxiety and fear. However, serial murder also notably remains more prevalent in the United States than in any other nation today. This chapter first distinguishes serial murder from other types of multiple-victim homicide, summarizes the common motivations of serial killers and reviews scholarly and professional explanations for the phenomenon. It then shifts focus to the recent and substantial decline in the incidence of US serial killers and victims, particularly by identifying contemporary patterns related to investigative advancements, personal security and public vigilance, and changing social contexts.

Keywords: Crime rates; Homicide trends; Multiple murder; Serial killers; Serial murder; Violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035317851
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