Serial Killers: unit 9 Female Serial Killers

women and crime

25% were female

females have been increasing incrementally as a proportion of criminals in recent years

liberation hypothesis

predicts convergence in both number and types of crimes when women become more equal to men

Why might women be less crime prone especially less violent crime prone?

biological: less testosterone

criminological: female socialization into pro social norms are better

psychological: differences make women less violent or crime prone than men

opportunity: being physically smaller limit changes for violent crime

female seriallists

10%-15% of serial killers are women

few female serialists have a criminal history

race difference

female serial killers appear to be almost exclusively white

hickey study 2004-2014

females serial killers account for 8%

team participation 57%

race: 95% white and 5% african american

average age: 39

average span: 6 years

average number of victims: 3

killed all their victims in the same year 29%

method of killing

-poison only 19%

-strangle only 19%

-shoot only 25%

-stab only 5%

-blunt force only 5%

-combo 27%

victims of female killers

adults only 81%

children only 14%

males only 38%

females only 14%

involving more than one state 24%

mobility of female serialists

1/3 were place specific (nursing homes)

victim offender relationship

female serial killers are more likely to kill someone they know either personally or occupationally

when they do kill strangers they will choose

-children

-patients

when they kill family they will choose

-husband

-children in home

Both male and female serialists tended to select victims...

who are powerless

categories specifically mean to address kinds of female serial killers

black widow

angels of death

profit predators

munchausen syndrome by proxy

visionary female serial killers

few

often psychotic

extrinsically motivated to commit murder by a hallucination commanding them to kill

hedonistic lust/thrill female serial killers

exceedingly rare

psychosexual motivated

fatal violence and sexual gratification are connected

hedonistic comfort female serial killers

kill to obtain money or create comfort

some argue its the most common

comfort killer is the stereotypical female serialist

power seeker female serial killers

motivated by desire to seek domination of another person

disciple female serial killers

kill when under influence of leader

motive is psychological

victim selection

-Power seeking female serialists: Usually kill someone they know

(e.g. patient)

-Visionary killers: Victim identity depends on the nature of their psychosis

-Female disciple killers tend to kill strangers: Usually killing at the direction of a male leader

munchausen by proxy

caregivers sicken child to get attention

psychiatric problems

tell attention seeking falsehood

distant relationship with family

death usually accidential

uniquely recidivistic

cause of MBPS

cause is unclear

desire to boost feelings of low self esteem...make killer feel powerful

MBPS 4 elements

1) Caregiver fabricates or induces an illness in the child

2) Caregiver repeatedly seeks medical care for the child's falsified illness, subjecting the child to unnecessary medical procedures

3) Caregiver denies any knowledge as to the source of the child's illness

4) Child's symptoms disappear when the caregiver is separated from the child.

female serialists by personality type

masochist: generally appears stable...tends to get involved with abusive partners they eventually kill

overtly hostile violent: emotionally unstable...history of violent behavior..don't plan to kill but violent outburst casues death

covertly hostile: suprress rage and express it secretly...target own children

inadequate: few coping skills...wanting to please their partner is motive for kills

psychotic:: clinically insane

amoral offenders: commit premediatated murder without remorse for personal or material gain

typology based upon victim/offender relationship

alpha females: use violence to protect themselves or others from harm

beta females: provoked to kill by emotions

omega female: use sexuality to deceive their victims...emotionally detached and kill them coldly for material gain

schurmann kauflin study

7 person study

female serialists and fantasy

not generally regarded, found that some felt isolated in life

some had violent fantasies involing homicide

fantaises became tied to someone they knew

fantasy cycle

1) Killing commenced once fantasy fully elaborated

2) Researched forensics to avoid detection.

3)Successful murders contributed to self esteem

4)Euphoria of the kill would wane, the problems of daily life returned and they would sink back into depression and isolation, return to the fantasy would begin again

most female serialsts use what to kill their victims

POISON

motives of female criminals are not understood due to lack of research

historically dumb explanations

-hormones

-lombroso

hickey study suggests motive is

money!

strain

blocked access to legitimate avenues of monetary success for women

motive pt. 2

sex was never the motive

only 10% of cases

backgrounds of female serialists

-abuse

-social isolation

-failed relationships

-psychopathic personalities

less likely to suffer from narcissim and more likely to act out sexually as teens and engage in self harming behaviors