Citation

Ferguson CJ, White DE, Cherry S, Lorenz M, Bhimani Z. J. Crim. Justice 2003; 31(3): 287-292.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S0047-2352(03)00009-6

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The last several decades have seen increased research attention to the subject of serial murder. Unfortunately, an empirical understanding of serial homicide continues to be impeded by difficulties in establishing a working definition for serial murder. Current definitions for serial homicide tend to focus on frequency and timing of homicide behaviors, and thus leave some confusion as to which groups of individuals should be included under the heading of serial murders. This article suggests alterations to the definition of serial murder, which focus not only on frequency and timing of homicide behaviors, but also on the motivation and context of those behaviors.