Why are the majority of serial killers from Britain and the U.S. ?

RolandTD20Kdrummer

Things that make you go hmm....

scroll down the list...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_serial_killers_by_country

.

dunkman

i blame computer games... oh and insanity

Byrnzie

I blame it on our national anthems. I believe they contain subliminal messages ordering us to commit heinous murder.
So anyway, what time did you say you were popping round to chew the fat, Roland?

Kann

I blame the schizophrenia of society.
(on a side note, colombian serial killers could be the scariest)

dunkman

Kann wrote:

(on a side note, colombian serial killers could be the scariest)

are you suggesting that maybe Brazilian ones are semi-friendly... or that Russian ones have a cuddly face and will stab you to death with a pink knive engraved with flowers and that the serial killer will make you a murder cake to eat before he removes your heart and cooks it

Thorns2010

I'm going with media coverage and better crime scene skills to link murders together and to catch the criminal.

Or hell.....maybe it has something to do with the English language, because Canada and Australia also have a lot listed compared to other countires.

Scratch that, just thought of this while typing that last bit. Its wikipedia, a website in the English Language with most viewers/contributors coming from the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. So of course there will be more listed for those countires.

Kann

dunkman wrote:

are you suggesting that maybe Brazilian ones are semi-friendly... or that Russian ones have a cuddly face and will stab you to death with a pink knive engraved with flowers and that the serial killer will make you a murder cake to eat before he removes your heart and cooks it

I wasn't clear enough I guess. I meant the most efficient. Sorry.

catefrances

why are the majority of serial killers from the US and britain?


high populations creating both opportunity and relative invisibility for predator. they look just like you and me. oh sure we might think they seem a bit odd, perhaps even eccentric, but in reality it is their anonimity and 'regular joe' appearance that makes them so successful. our societies are patriarchal and male authoritative and though all serial killers are not male, the overwhelming majority are, therefore 'men belong everywhere' and thus do not usually attract adverse attention to themselves. they could even be living next door.

Collin

catefrances wrote:

why are the majority of serial killers from the US and britain?


high populations creating both opportunity and relative invisibility for predator. they look just like you and me. oh sure we might think they seem a bit odd, perhaps even eccentric, but in reality it is their anonimity and 'regular joe' appearance that makes them so successful. our societies are patriarchal and male authoritative and though all serial killers are not male, the overwhelming majority are, therefore 'men belong everywhere' and thus do not usually attract adverse attention to themselves. they could even be living next door.

But then why not Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands (should the 'the' be capitalized?) ...

chopitdown

possibly b/c that's a list of "convicted" serial killers. Perhaps other countries have the same amount of serial killers but they aren't convicted for whatever reason. India, for example, has over 1 billion people but only 4 serial killers? I find that very hard to believe.

catefrances

Collin wrote:

But then why not Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands (should the 'the' be capitalized?) ...

maybe those countries are more user friendly.
maybe brits and americans are so disenfranchised they simply dont care.

even flow?

It is just that the killers from the rest of the countries are smart enough not to get caught.

catefrances

even flow? wrote:

It is just that the killers from the rest of the countries are smart enough not to get caught.

the next card i was gonna play was maybe britain and the US have a higher level of delusional people.

FinsburyParkCarrots

I blame the porn industry, in part. Eastern Europe will soon catch up.

Oh, wait.


How are the Dutch doing in that list?

Byrnzie

Kann wrote:

I wasn't clear enough I guess. I meant the most efficient. Sorry.

Efficient? Last time I checked if you kill someone then he's dead. I wasn't aware of there being any grey area here.

Ahnimus

One of two things make a killer, sometimes both; genetics and environment.

The main environmental factor in all crime is social inequality.

And there you have it. Americans have bad genes and/or live in a bad environment (i.e. America).

Ahnimus

"Doubtless no sort of treatment will ever entirely get rid of homicide. Brains and nervous systems are so made, that inhibitions are unable to protect in all cases. Nations and men readily engage in killing, either from sport or because of a real or fancied wrong. Mob psychology shows how whole communities are turned into ravenous beasts, hunting for their prey. The world war, and all wars, show cases of mob psychology that have led large masses of men to take an active part in killing. The pursuit of those charged with crime shows that all people like the chase when the emotions are thoroughly aroused. Under certain impulses, communities gloat over hangings and commend judges and juries because they have the courage to hang, when, in fact, they were too cowardly not to hang and when their reason did not approve the verdict and judgment. Men who do not kill often wish others might die and are pleased and happy when they do die. We approve of death when it is the right one who dies. Whether all persons are murderers or not may depend upon a definition of murder. But, beyond doubt, all persons are potential murderers, needing only time and circumstances, and a sufficiently overwhelming emotion that will triumph over the weak restraints that education and habit have built up, to control the powerful surging instincts and feelings that Nature has laid at the foundation of life."

Clarence Darrow, Crime Its Cause and Its Treatment; Chapter X - Homicide

Byrnzie

Ahnimus wrote:

"Doubtless no sort of treatment will ever entirely get rid of homicide. Brains and nervous systems are so made, that inhibitions are unable to protect in all cases. Nations and men readily engage in killing, either from sport or because of a real or fancied wrong. Mob psychology shows how whole communities are turned into ravenous beasts, hunting for their prey. The world war, and all wars, show cases of mob psychology that have led large masses of men to take an active part in killing. The pursuit of those charged with crime shows that all people like the chase when the emotions are thoroughly aroused. Under certain impulses, communities gloat over hangings and commend judges and juries because they have the courage to hang, when, in fact, they were too cowardly not to hang and when their reason did not approve the verdict and judgment. Men who do not kill often wish others might die and are pleased and happy when they do die. We approve of death when it is the right one who dies. Whether all persons are murderers or not may depend upon a definition of murder. But, beyond doubt, all persons are potential murderers, needing only time and circumstances, and a sufficiently overwhelming emotion that will triumph over the weak restraints that education and habit have built up, to control the powerful surging instincts and feelings that Nature has laid at the foundation of life."

Clarence Darrow, Crime Its Cause and Its Treatment; Chapter X - Homicide

Interesting stuff. You sure are doing some homework there Anhimus.

dunkman

Ahnimus wrote:

"Doubtless no sort of treatment will ever entirely get rid of homicide. Brains and nervous systems are so made, that inhibitions are unable to protect in all cases. Nations and men readily engage in killing, either from sport or because of a real or fancied wrong. Mob psychology shows how whole communities are turned into ravenous beasts, hunting for their prey. The world war, and all wars, show cases of mob psychology that have led large masses of men to take an active part in killing. The pursuit of those charged with crime shows that all people like the chase when the emotions are thoroughly aroused. Under certain impulses, communities gloat over hangings and commend judges and juries because they have the courage to hang, when, in fact, they were too cowardly not to hang and when their reason did not approve the verdict and judgment. Men who do not kill often wish others might die and are pleased and happy when they do die. We approve of death when it is the right one who dies. Whether all persons are murderers or not may depend upon a definition of murder. But, beyond doubt, all persons are potential murderers, needing only time and circumstances, and a sufficiently overwhelming emotion that will triumph over the weak restraints that education and habit have built up, to control the powerful surging instincts and feelings that Nature has laid at the foundation of life."

i think you'll find its computer games

chopitdown

Ahnimus wrote:

Men who do not kill often wish others might die and are pleased and happy when they do die. We approve of death when it is the right one who dies.

the whole passage was interesting to read, but this part jumped out to me especially with the whole Jerry Falwell thread a few weeks ago.

Kann

Byrnzie wrote:

Efficient? Last time I checked if you kill someone then he's dead. I wasn't aware of there being any grey area here.

The colombian remark was merely a joke and a surprise. Because there are only 2 listed for that country but their total is superior to almost all countries. So sorry, I never meant that you could be half dead after being killed.

"Doubtless no sort of treatment will ever entirely get rid of homicide. Brains and nervous systems are so made, that inhibitions are unable to protect in all cases. Nations and men readily engage in killing, either from sport or because of a real or fancied wrong. Mob psychology shows how whole communities are turned into ravenous beasts, hunting for their prey. The world war, and all wars, show cases of mob psychology that have led large masses of men to take an active part in killing. The pursuit of those charged with crime shows that all people like the chase when the emotions are thoroughly aroused. Under certain impulses, communities gloat over hangings and commend judges and juries because they have the courage to hang, when, in fact, they were too cowardly not to hang and when their reason did not approve the verdict and judgment. Men who do not kill often wish others might die and are pleased and happy when they do die. We approve of death when it is the right one who dies. Whether all persons are murderers or not may depend upon a definition of murder. But, beyond doubt, all persons are potential murderers, needing only time and circumstances, and a sufficiently overwhelming emotion that will triumph over the weak restraints that education and habit have built up, to control the powerful surging instincts and feelings that Nature has laid at the foundation of life."

=
"If any man could murder at distance, easily and anonymously, the whole humanity would have but minutes to live" (Kundera)
But I mostly disagree with that. I still think some people actually take upon them to control their instincts when they can and actually live up to the reputation of humanism our race has.

Ahnimus

Byrnzie wrote:

Interesting stuff. You sure are doing some homework there Anhimus.

Its an old book (1922), but I admire Darrow. He really thought there was no point to life and worked constantly to pass the time. He read and thought about his work as a civil liberties lawyer. He was openly agnostic and was a true skeptic. He didn't much care for his appearance, but gave great speeches and didn't fear the court. He stood up for the less fortunate and often worked for free, sometimes for complete strangers. In the famous case of Leopold and Lobe, both from wealthy families, Darrow charged only $30,000, he's rumored to have received millions. There were two major campaigns against Darrow from a shadow elite of the justice system. People who cooperatively didn't like Darrow's ideas. But they failed to damage Darrow's credibility, he was tough as nails. To me he was a true patriot of humanity and few people have heard his name. I only learned about him through my interest in Criminology.

Ahnimus

Kann wrote:

"If any man could murder at distance, easily and anonymously, the whole humanity would have but minutes to live" (Kundera)
But I mostly disagree with that. I still think some people actually take upon them to control their instincts when they can and actually live up to the reputation of humanism our race has.

There are parts of the brain that have developed for social order which inhibit the activation of violent behavior. We often feel the struggle between these inner modules when we become violently angry from an environmental stimulus. We will feel a compelling desire to become violent and simultaneously feel a part of ourselves stopping us, the conscience. But this fails if one does not have a conscience or the typical qualities of conscience.

I was thinking about mini strokes. Small damages to the brain in different regions. Large strokes can take out an entire hemisphere just about. But mini strokes just take out parts of modules or maybe an entire module depending on what we determine to be a module.

Byrnzie

Kann wrote:

The colombian remark was merely a joke and a surprise. Because there are only 2 listed for that country but their total is superior to almost all countries. So sorry, I never meant that you could be half dead after being killed.

I was just toying with ya!