Male Offenders

Dominance and Control

Statistically, most serial killers are male. Criminological research clearly shows that men account for an overwhelming share of serious violent crimes and serial murders. While the exact causes are complex, factors such as socialization, biological predispositions and cultural influences play a part.

The motives of male serial offenders often differ significantly from those of female offenders. Frequently the focus lies on power, control, dominance and sexual gratification. Many offenders act out of an inner compulsion to live out fantasies involving violence and subjugation.

In its profiling methods, the FBI often distinguishes between "organized" and "disorganized" offenders. An organized offender often plans his crimes meticulously, picks his victims deliberately and leads an unremarkable life on the outside. Examples include Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy. A disorganized offender, by contrast, often acts on impulse, uses objects he finds at the crime scene and more often has difficulties in his social environment.

This page is devoted to analyzing these offender profiles, in order to make the incomprehensible easier to grasp and to recognize the warning signs better.