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Summary: Mind-set & Fantasies in Sexual Murder
Review: "Sexual Homicide - Patterns and Motives by Ressler, Burgess & Douglas is a 234-page text which sets forth group characteristics of sexual murderers and consequential societal responses elicited in/by affected families, victims, legal system, law enforcement, & forensic investigators.Core of the text is based on interrogation of 36 incarcerated sexual killers of 1 or more of 118 victims & critical analysis of these victims by interviews with familes, associates, etc. Study revealed killers were male, 92% white: 80% killed 2 or more victims (82% female) with 73% 15-28 years in age. Attention is given to assess child/adolescent formative events, societal perceptions & pressures which may be motivational to sexual killers who exhibit aberrant thought patterns, deviant behavior, and aggression linked to sexual expressivity. The study discusses FBI Behavioral Science Unit profiling of murderous acts: organized, disorganized or (mixed). And, distinguishes sexual homicide from motivated murders (felony, argumentative, etc.). Discussed is sexual and aggressive motivations in rape and subcategorizes compensatory (fantasy), exploitive/impulsive, displaced (anger/rage) and sadistic fantasies of rapists. Crime scene and criminal profiling is reviewed noting this "is at the cutting edge of modern law enforcement" and "There is no place for speculation in forensic science." Chapters are devoted to police artist composite drawing and victim's family response to trauma (excellent). Discussion is given of VICAP & establishment of NCAVC in 1984 as a joint project of DOJ & FBI to create Behavioral Sciences Services & 4 programs to analyse, identify and track violent crime & killers. It concludes with VICAP Crime Analysis Report (186 questions). The book is well-organized, factual, and written with illuminative descriptions of the aberrant mind-set and fantasies of sexual murderers including chapter 14 on what to do if you should become a potential victim. The authors are recognized experts and have done admirable service to this work.
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Summary: A "must-read" on the behavior & psychology of serial killers
Review: This book is a valuable resource for mystery authors or anyone else who is interested in the subject of serial murder.
Written by three experts in the field, the book covers the behaviors that occur before, during and after the murder, as well as insight into the techniques used to profile and capture serial killers.
Crime scene analysis, forensic pathology, and interviewing techniques are also discussed.
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Summary: A "must-read" on the behavior & psychology of serial killers
Review: This book is a valuable resource for mystery authors or anyone else who is interested in the subject of serial murder. Written by three experts in the field, the book covers the behaviors that occur before, during and after the murder, as well as insight into the techniques used to profile and capture serial killers. Crime scene analysis, forensic pathology, and interviewing techniques are also discussed.
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Summary: The Best Book on Profiling
Review: As a crime writer (First Kill, The Girl By The Lake), I collect hundreds of books on crime. This one ranks amongts the best in my collection. Although a little dated (1988), it's a classic and provides a very solid foundation into profiling and deviant sexual behaviour and murder. There is a incredibly useful chapter (if you're a crime writer or a detective)that takes you right into the mind of a crime-scene analyst and what steps are covered to figure out who the pedetrator is. A must for any student of abnormal psychology, people involved with violent crimes and crime writers alike. Highly commended.
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Summary: Great Read!
Review: From one of the guys at the FBI Behavioral Science Unit comes the results of a massive study the FBI did on sexual offenders. It does offer a lot of research data which can always be dry, but it also offers myriad of examples to personalize the data and make it more informative for everyone. I found it very enlightening since there are very few studies that have been able to do this kind of comparative research on a problem that is so prevalent.
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Summary: Excellent
Review: I have read this book 3 times already and I will probably read it again. Damn accurate and very informative - thank God we have people like John Douglas and Robert Ressler, otherwise we would have nowhere near enough info on this type of killer and the way their minds work.
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Summary: great overview of sexual homicide
Review: I've read a lot of John Douglas and Robert Kessler, and while I appreciate the expertise of both men, I believe Douglas is right when he says (in a different book) that the vast majority of criminals are made, not born. Kessler disagrees with him and thinks such criminals are born evil. (These differing attitudes are not represented in this book, but are from other books by Douglas). But in the black-or-white outlook on life that children often have in their most formative years, it is better to be the person with the power and control, than the helpless person with no power or control. Which is, of course, what sex crimes (including sexual homicide) are about: power and control. This book offers insight into the twisted rationalizations and motivations of sexual predators. It also offers insight into what may have made them into the sociopaths that they are -- their often horribly abusive and neglectful upbringing. The descriptions of some of the crimes, used to illustrate the profiles, are pretty gruesome. But, if you are looking for a good, if somewhat dry, overview of the differing "profiles" of sexual killers, this is the book to read. Might come in handy for authors who want to write about crime or criminals; and true-crime enthusiasts will also find it interesting and absorbing.
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Summary: It does not get any better than this?
Review: Mr. Ressler is one man who you would want teaching future law enforcement students. All you need to know is in this wonderfully laid out, easy to follow book.
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Summary: Excellent guide for homicide detectives
Review: Sexual Homicide is an excellent source for anyone interested in going beyond the true crime buff, or the 30-second news clip on serial killers. Geared toward the people involved in the field of serial crime, it attempts to provide them with important information regarding the killers background. Of more importance, it begins to tackle the question of "why". The work done by Ressler, Douglas, and Burgess is a pioneering effort in the study and understanding of serial killers and is a basis for future work in this discipline
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Summary: You won't find this information in any other book.
Review: Sexual Homicide: Patterns & Motives is the result of twelve years of research of the minds, personalities and crimes of those who commit the most outrageous acts in our society. I conceived the idea for this book in the mid 1970's and broke all FBI convention by doing in-depth research interviews with 36 sexual and serial killers. I studied their crimes, listened to their stories and finally pulled together the data to formulate this book. I broke FBI protocol by seeking outside assistance and expertise from my coauthor, Dr. Ann W. Burgess. William Webster, then the Director of the FBI cautioned me to do only reliable research with reliable people - or else. It is doubtful that J.E. Hoover would have authorized such unconventional activities for one of his agents. John Douglas, then a rookie in the FBI Behavioral Science unit, joined me in some of the early prison interviews. I feel that SEXUAL HOMICIDE is a worthy contribution to the field of criminology and it is used today by the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and by students and professionals alike. It is publised world wide and in particular throughout the United Kingdom and in Japan. This book may be "too much" for the casual true crime reader; however, a serious student of the world of violent crime will find it an asset to add to their libraries
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