Victim selection

Question 1

It concentrates on the day-to-day activities and patterns of a particular victim. It focuses on the places they were and their residential areas, sex age and race. (CRJ3024 W3reading.docx).

‘Demographics of victimization’ simply means that there are certain factors that contribute to crime. Crime is very incidental but there are certain factors that can put an individual at more risk of becoming a victim of a certain crime. One of these factors is life choices or the manner in which a person decides to behave. For example, an individual who is at low risk will be very keen on their environment. Among adolescents and the youths demographic of victimization is much higher. Day to day patterns can put anyone at risk of becoming a victim of crime. An area can be linked to demographics of victimization in terms of frequency or amount of crimes carried out in that particular area .Although some crimes are committed in all places, there are some locations that have a higher level of crime than the rest (CRJ3024 W3reading.docx).

Question 2

Serial killers with various typologies can make use of a variety of methods to select a victim. Serial killers have a tendency of focusing on a certain kind of victim. Evaluating and the understanding the traits of a serial killers victim will pave the way of knowing the typology of actual killer. Lot of professional experts believe that serial killers usually know the type of people they are after. This individual is ideal due to a variety of reasons. It can be height, body traits or even the gender or an additional rare quality. It is impossible to get one individual who fits all the ideal details at once. This is the main reason why serial killers seem to be very random before they narrow down to a particular pattern. If they never find an individual with the specifics they require, they will isolate each victim on what only them can recognize as fitting into their category .The first victims are chosen very carefully. Victims such as prostitutes and homeless people give the serial killer a hundred percent certainty and these type of victims do not attract a lot of attention. Some serial killers choose their victims solely on vulnerability and locations that favors there surroundings. Therefore it is not likely that a serial killer will wait for a perfect victim so that he attacks but will wait for a perfect chance (Holmes, & Holmes, 2010).

            Organized serial killers selects their victims by luring them in using tricks and they dispose off bodies of the victims in selected places. They are very hard to catch. On the other hand disorganized serial killers are not very meticulous planners and they do put an effort to conceal their acts. Their victims fall prey due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are also not intelligent. Some serial killers can be both organized and disorganized in some of their killings (CRJ3024 W3reading.docx).

Question 3

            The ways used by a serial killer to choose a victim are somehow similar to how a mass murder selects his victims and they also vary in some ways. One of the similarities between a mass murderer’s selection and a serial killers victim’s selection method is that they both choose their victims carefully and they ensure a high level of success in executing their targets. They use their comfort zones to their advantage. A serial killer will ensure that the area will assist to execute crime; this is similar to a mass murderer. (Holmes, & Holmes, 2010).

 Mass murderers will select a group of many individuals at once whereas a serial killer only select a particular person at a time. A mass murder does not narrow down to very specific detail unlike a serial killer who will ensure that he does no kill unless a victim  is a perfect fit (Holmes, & Holmes, 2010).

Question 3

Ted Bundy was a very clever man who was well educated. But at early age he had already shown signs that would later materialize and make him a serial killer. His typology describes Ted Bundy as antisocial and would spy on vulnerable women. He also had juvenile record that were waved off when he reached 18.Ted Bundy had traits of a narcissist and therefore was not insane. Due to this his victims were mainly young beautiful women. Bundy would pretend to be disable and walked on crutches as he targeted his victims .He would then use his charisma and ‘disability’ to influence  and lure the unaware victim into a car. He impersonated administrative figures such policemen to easily gain trust from the victims (CRJ3024 W3reading.docx).

A victim’s character can assist in investigation as it gives details into the victim’s behaviors and daily routines. It also gives clues on what the serial killer might be looking for. The victim gives insight on what made them a target of the serial killer. The character of a victim gives information and the manner in which the murder was committed by the serial killer. Details retrieved from a victim can build the profile of a killer (CRJ3024 W3reading.docx).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

Holmes, R. M., & Holmes, S. T. (2010). Serial murder. Los Angeles: SAGE.

CRJ3024 W3reading.docx.