The space and time dimensions in the criminal behaviour of lust murderers

Abstract

The criminal behaviour over space and time of four European lust murderers (Whitechapel Ripper, Gloucester Monster, Yorkshire Ripper, Florence Monster) was investigated. The spatial analysis, based on the geographical distribution and spatio-temporal evolutions of the crime scenes, allowed to hypothesize that these serial killers were of organized type, presumably psychopathic, followed rigid models in the elaboration of their mental maps of the crimes, and cyclical phases in the periods of emotional cooling and security distances with some exceptions. Serial killers moved near the comfort zones within buffer zones with spokes, in relation to the diameter of the criminal circle, ranging from 3% and 21%. In particular, among the examined serial killers, the results of investigations on the Florence Monster and the Yorkshire Ripper resulted particularly significative. The Florence Monster distinguished for his high coefficient of awareness and experiential depth. The increasing trend of emotional cooling times could have been due to a significant form of self-control in dominating him-self during the cyclical phases in which the serial killer returns to live the desire of killing. The criminal behaviour of the Yorkshire Ripper experienced an escalation in his criminal activity, being characterized by low experience and insecurity in himself in the first crimes followed by an acquired experience and security in the commission of the criminal acts with the time. The results obtained in the present research confirmed how useful and profitable may be the application of an inter- and transdisciplinary approach, based on principles and methods of investigative psychology, criminal and geographical profiling, and Geographical Information Systems technology, in dealing with investigations related to immaterial evidence, criminal behaviour, and the resulting crime patterns from serial lust murders.