Burgess Ann W. - Sexual Homicide

Sexual Homicide

Patterns and Motives

Robert K. Ressler
FBI

Ann W. Burgess
University of Pennsylvania

John E. Douglas
FBI

With chapters by
James L. Luke, M.D.
Horace J. Heafner
Daniel L. Carter, Robert A. Prentky, and Ann W. Burgess

THE FREE PRESS

THE FREE PRESS
A Division of Simon & Schuster Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
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Copyright 1992 by The Free Press

All rights reserved,
including the right of reproduction
in whole or in part in any form.

THE FREE PRESS and colophon are trademarks
of Simon & Schuster Inc.

First Free Press Paperback Edition 1995

Manufactured in the United States of America

printing number
10 9 8 7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ressler, Robert K.

Sexual homicide.

Includes index.

1. HomicideUnited States.

2. Sex crimesUnited States.

I. Burgess, Ann Wolbert.

II. Douglas, John E.

III. Title.

HV6529.R47 1988 363.25 87-45495

eISBN-13: 978-1-4391-1831-3
ISBN-13: 978-0-0287-4063-8
ISBN 0-02-874063-7

10. The Role of Forensic Pathology in Criminal Profiling
James L. Luke, M.D.

12. The Police Artist and Composite Drawings
Horace J. Heafner

14. Victims: Lessons Learned for Responses to Sexual Violence
Daniel L. Carter, Robert A. Prentky, and Ann W. Burgess

Figures

6-1. Sexual Homicide: Motivational Model

7-1. Organizational Chart for the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime

7-2. The Violent Crime System Analysis Model

7-3. A Schematic Diagram of the NCAVCs Artificial Intelligence Knowledge-Based Expert System

9-1. Criminal Profile Generating Process

10-1. Abrasion at Anterior Surface of Neck

10-2. High-Power View of Anal Smear Demonstration Ovoid Structures Consistent with Sperm Heads

12-1. Bombing Incident Suspect Sketch

12-2. Bank Robber Sketch and Suspect

12-3. FBI Facial Identification Catalog Page

12-4. FBI Facial Identification Fact Sheet

12-5. Sketch Made from Skeletal Remains and Identification

14-1. Victim Response Strategies

Tables

2-1. Childhood Attributes

2-2. Family Background Characteristics

2-3. Childhood Sexual Experiences

2-4. Sexual Abuse by Factors Related to Family Environment and Structure

2-5. Frequency of Reported Behavior Indicators in Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood for Sexual Murderers

2-6. Performance Characteristics

6-1. Chronology of Events in Warrens Life

8-1. Profile Characteristics of Organized and Disorganized Murderers

8-2. Crime Scene Differences between Organized and Disorganized Murderers

8-3. Escalation of Criminal Behavior

9-1. Homicide Classification by Style and Type

This book is about sexual killersmany of whom have repeated their murderous acts multiple times. The book examines two aspects of sexual murderers: (1) characteristics of this group and of the subgroups within it, and (2) responses to sexual killers by the factions of society affected by themlaw enforcement investigators, forensic pathologists, mental health clinicians, the legal system, surviving victims and their families.

A New Perspective

During the early 1970s, Special Agents of the FBIs Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) began profiling criminals on an informal basis by using crime scene information to deduce certain offender characteristics. Because these characteristics proved useful in identifying offenders, local authorities requested such assistance in increasing numbers. As a result, the FBIs criminal profiling service became available to all law enforcement agencies.

The agents involved in criminal profiling were able to classify murderers as either organized or disorganized in their commission of the crimes. Generally, an organized murderer is one who appears to plan his murders in a conscious manner and who displays control of the victim at the crime scene. The disorganized murderer is less consciously aware of a plan, and his crime scenes display haphazard behavior. Sometimes an offender has elements from both categories and can be called mixed.

The organized/disorganized distinction, which may also prove applicable to other types of crime, is especially practical for several reasons. It provides an immediate mental picture of the differences between the two classifications, and it is objective in its connotations. In addition, it avoids the technical psychological terminology that is often confusing to investigators.

Because this method of identifying offenders was based largely on a combination of experience and intuition, it had its failures as well as its successes. Nevertheless, a 1981 FBI evaluation questionnaire sent to field offices regarding the profiling service revealed that the criminal personality assessment had helped focus the investigation in 77 percent of those cases in which the suspects were subsequently identified.

The FBI Study

With the development of the criminal profiling project, a study of crime scene analysis was proposed by involved FBI agents. Using case record review, direct observation, and firsthand investigative interviews, the study would fill the gap left by earlier research that was not law-enforcement-oriented and would examine convicted, incarcerated offenders from a law enforcement perspective. In addition, it would be the first project to analyze the overall crime, paying particular attention to the crime scene. After completion of a pilot phase, the study was formalized in 1982 with a grant from the National Institute of Justice.

The study had both quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis. Qualitative objectives were to describe the characteristics of the study population of murderers, the manner in which they committed their crimes, and the crime scenes. The descriptive data obtained would make an important contribution to the documentation of the sexual killer.

Quantitative objectives were somewhat more complex. Because the organized/disorganized classification was the only law-enforcement-developed classification to aid in the apprehension of sexual killers, its viability and potential for expanded use in criminal profiling was important to determine. Thus, the study had two quantitative objectives. First, it would test, using statistical procedures, whether there are significant behavioral differences at the crime scene between crimes committed by organized sexual murderers and those committed by disorganized sexual murderers. Second, it would identify variables, or specific characteristics, that may be useful in profiling sexual murderers and for which organized and disorganized sexual murderers differ statistically.