Excerpted with permission from, by Scott Bonn. Skyhorse Publishing. Copyright © 2014. Much of the general public’s knowledge concerning serial homicide is a product of sensationalized and stereotypical depictions of it in the news and entertainment media. Colorful story lines are written to pique the interest of audiences, not to paint an accurate picture of serial murder. By focusing on the larger-than-life media images of socially constructed “celebrity monsters,” the public becomes captivated by the stylized presentation of the criminals rather than the reality of their crimes. Media stereotypes and hyperbole create myths and great distortions in the public consciousness regarding the true dynamics and patterns of serial murder in the U.S.

The Reality of Serial Homicide in the U.S. Serial killings account for no more than 1 percent of all murders committed in the U.S. Based on recent FBI crime statistics, there are approximately 15,000 murders annually, so that means there are no more than 150 victims of serial murder in the U.S. In any given year. 1 The FBI estimates that there are between twenty-five and fifty serial killers operating throughout the U.S. At any given time.

If there are fifty, then each one is responsible for an average of three murders per year. Serial killers are always present in society. However, the statistics reveal that serial homicide is quite rare and it represents a small portion of all murders committed in the U.S. Persistent misinformation, stereotypes and hyperbole presented in the media have combined with the relative rarity of serial murder cases to foster a number of popular myths about serial murder. The most common myths about serial killers encompass such factors as their race, gender, intelligence, living conditions and victim characteristics. Myth #1: All Serial Killers Are Men.

Serial Killer Statistics and Demographics. Torrent Progression Kiteboarding Beginner Dvd. Serial Killers With the Highest Known Victim Count. United States: 1926 – 1927: 22: Top Serial Killers Before 1900. According to statistics from the United States Department of Justice, the ethnocentric profile of a serial killer in the U. Highlighting African American serial.

Reality: This is simply not true but it is understandable why the public would hold this erroneous belief. As late as 1998, a highly regarded former FBI profiler said “there are no female serial killers.” The news and entertainment media also perpetuate the stereotypes that all serial offenders are male and that women do not engage in horrible acts of violence. When the lethality of a femme fatale is presented in book or film, she is most often portrayed as the manipulated victim of a dominant male. This popular but stereotypical media image is consistent with traditional gender myths in society which claim that boys are aggressive by nature while girls are passive. In fact, both aggressiveness and passivity can be learned through socialization and they are not gender specific. The reality concerning the gender of serial killers is quite different than the mythology of it.

Although there have been many more male serial killers than females throughout history, the presence of female serial killers is well documented in the crime data. In fact, approximately 17 percent of all serial homicides in the U.S. Are committed by women. 2 Interestingly, only 10 percent of total murders in the U.S. Are committed by women.