Using Murder: The Social Construction of Serial HomicideIn assessing the concern that popular fears and stereotypes have exaggerated the actual scale of multiple homicides, Jenkins has produced an innovative synthesis of approaches to social problem construction that includes an historical and social-scientifi c estimate of the objective scale of serial murder; a rhetorical analysis of the construction of the phenomenom in public debate; and a cultural studies-oriented analysis of the portrayal of serial murder in contemporary media. |
Contents
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROBLEMS | 1 |
Defining the Problem | 7 |
The Structure of the Book | 13 |
A History of the Offense | 29 |
American Uniqueness? | 41 |
THE ROLE OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT | 52 |
IMAGES OF | 81 |
The Thriller Novel | 88 |
Crime as Moral Evil | 129 |
SERIAL MURDER AS FEMICIDE | 139 |
SERIAL MURDER | 159 |
AfricanAmericans and Serial Homicide | 169 |
A HOMOSEXUAL WHO COULD STRIKE AGAIN | 177 |
8885 | 184 |
19801981 | 195 |
Matamoros | 202 |
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Common terms and phrases
accounts activists African-American agencies Aileen Wuornos alleged American appeared argued arrested Atlanta Child Murders attacks behavior cannibalism Caputi Chapter child abuse claimed claims-makers contemporary context Corll crimes criminal critical cult culture deaths decade depicted emphasis evil example extreme female femicide feminist fiction Gacy genre Hannibal Lecter Henry Lee Lucas homosexual images incidents individual investigation involved Jack the Ripper Jeffrey Dahmer Jenkins Justice Department killings Lambs law enforcement Linedecker major male mind-hunters monsters moral multiple homicide multiple killers multiple murder novel number of victims offenders phenomenon police political popular pornography Psycho quoted racial Randy Kraft rape real-life recent reported Ressler rhetorical ritual role satanic serial homicide serial killers serial murder serial murder activity serial murder problem sexual violence slasher films social society stereotypes story Stranger suggested Ted Bundy television theme threat tion true-crime unsolved VICAP Wayne women York young