Sarah Glazer Serial Killers Summary

In the article “Serial Killers do we know enough to catch them?” Sarah Glazer gives an overview about the past history and the knowledge on serial killers. Glazer explains how serial killing has been on the rise. She states “The FBI popularized the notion of the “serial” murderer and contended the phenomenon was increasing in the 1980s, during a wave of child kidnapping and serial murders” (Paragraph two). For example, serial killers numbers of victims started to hit the thousand ranges and the numbers kept rising. She stated “The implication at the time was that these were senseless murders with no apparent motive, and thus likely to be the work of a serial killer” (Paragraph two). Since the 1960’s these killings were rising and by time it hit the 80’s, the numbers doubled. Less than 70 percent of murders are being solved now and days but compared to the 60’s, there was a 90 percent chance of them being solved. Glazer quotes FBI agent John E. Douglas who helped start the behavior unit “further point out that crime-solving techniques have become more
sophisticated, and the number of police officers has risen during this period. Those improvements should argue for better — not worse — solution rates” (Paragraph two). Serial killers are most definitely a worldwide problem but are not the cause for most killings.
Glazer points out “Serial killers probably account for at most about 200 victims in the United States each year or 1 percent of all homicides” (Paragraph three). The reasoning for the violent acts varies with killers along with the motives. Glazer says “from head trauma to childhood abuse {…} to explain how someone becomes a serial killer, but many people suffer from such conditions without becoming serial killers” (Paragraph three). These beings unlike murderers kill in a brutal, violent and disgraceful way. Like Glazer states “most serial murder is an intimate experience for the killer in which the torture of the victim and watching the victim die are important parts of the experience. Sexual murderers often engage in bizarre sexual practices with their victims both before and after death” (Paragraph
four). Law Enforcers started using criminal profiling as a reliable means to better understand and catch criminals such as serial killers, but does this work? Glazer denies the idea of understanding Serial killers by criminal profiling them. Glazer states “Profiles rely too heavily on statistical trends and may even mislead investigators into chasing the wrong type of suspect — possibly enabling the real killer to take more victims” (Paragraph five).