Thesis
A comparative study between a range of victimology, crime scene behaviours and forensic awareness strategy variables utilised, or not, by trucker and non-trucker serial killers
Masters by Coursework, Murdoch University
2021
Abstract
Homicide is an overarching term, which can be categorised into three main subcategories: Mass, Spree and Serial Homicide. Serial Killers are those who commit the unlawful killing of two or more victims in separate events. However, there is still a contentious debate over the definition. There have been many Serial Killer Typologies proposed in the literature, allowing investigators to more easily classify offenders and assist in investigations. Many forensic and criminology factors differ between these typologies, including the Victimology, Crime Scene Behaviours and Forensic Awareness Strategies used by offenders. A typology that has yet to be investigated, and in recent years has sparked some interest after the launch of the Highway Serial Killer Initiative is that of the Trucker Serial Killer. This review aimed to establish why classifying Serial Killers is important and to ascertain some of the overarching typologies that have been proposed. The review ultimately determined that there is a lack of research investigating the potential Trucker Serial Killer. The proposed study will be done by comparing the Victimology, Crime Scene Behaviours and Forensic Awareness Strategies of 24 Trucker Serial Killers (those with a vocation in truck driving while active) located in Australia, Europe and America, active between 1970-2015, to two randomly generated matched samples of 24 Non-Trucker Serial Killers. The aim will be to identify any statistically significant similarities or differences between the two groups and whether this typology of Serial Killer is evident.
Details
- Title
- A comparative study between a range of victimology, crime scene behaviours and forensic awareness strategy variables utilised, or not, by trucker and non-trucker serial killers
- Authors/Creators
- Rachel Harding
- Contributors
- David Keatley (Supervisor)Brendan Chapman (Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Masters by Coursework
- Identifiers
- 991005542166507891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis
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