Murder “clearance” rates in the US have been declining for decades, meaning police are solving fewer and fewer murders. Unsolved killings were at record highs in 2023.
Seems to me that there are probably just less serial killers being suspected, investigated, and caught, as police continue to do less and less, rather than there being less serial killers. The United States is now basically the least effective country at solving murders in the industrialized world.
It’s absurd trying to spin police incompetence as a positive thing. Roughly 27% of murders in Oakland, CA are solved for instance. Who knows if there is a serial killer at work with that kind of solve rate?
A problem conceiled is a problem solved.
Lead poisoning is still the prevalent theory, I think. It fucks up brain development in ways that make kids tend to sociopathic personalities.
What is the excuse for mass shootings then?
Availability of weapons mixed with infrastructure development that atomizes communities to the point that the only places some people can find any social activity is nihilistic message boards full of psychopaths that actively encourage terroristic attacks on society but in the oblique way that dodges accountability for it when someone actually goes and does it.
- Easy access to guns
- The rise of easy access fascist media
- The dissolution of public institutions
It’s simply too easy to grab a gun by anyone. Military grade equipment is available to pretty much anyone with a credit card. Then you combine that with a CONSTANT beating drum from people like Alex Jones talking about how much they want crush, destroy, kill their enemies and how corrupt everything is. Then also talking about how people need to rise up and do “something”. While also in the same breath telling people to go off their meds and how any sort of treatment for mental disorders is actually poison. Then pair that with the fact that there’s pretty much no public infrastructure around public health (thanks Reagan). That means if you are having some sort of mental break down, depression, whatever, if you can’t afford the $100s/$1000s of dollars to get regular psychiatric treatment you are basically just going to be untreated. There is also pretty much no safe place to recoup for someone in distress but not at risk of suicide. But even if there were, even if you could afford it, fascists and preachers know that mentally healthy people are harder to grift so they spend all their time demonizing the very help you’d need.
However, not everyone that does this is mentally unwell. Some are just hateful fascists that believe killing gets their hate filled messages into the world. It’s why it is irresponsible for any media outlet to publish the name or manifestos of these assholes. Having notorious killers encourages more notorious killers.
As to that first point, you know we had AR-15s in the 70s, right? (No one gave a shit. They weren’t “cool” until the Assault Weapons Ban. Yeah, that didn’t work out so well…)
You know guns were far easier to get back then? LOL, I got an old Mossberg 500 (think classic 12-gauge pump) that was branded Revelation. They sold those at Western Auto stores.
It was no thing to see a dude with a loaded gun rack in his pickup. Point being, access is not the thing that changed.
And the rest of your post? On. The. Money.
I’m always glad to hear more people know about lead poisoning. It makes a lot of sense.
I’m curious, you got anything light reading you can recommend to ease into the topic, please pm me. I’d appreciate, if it wasn’t another post which basically recites the content of another post, and so on - far too much out there these days)
No. It’s not possible to find light reading about lead.
Oh great, the millennials are killing the killing industry as well…
It’s those lazy millennials. They just don’t have the patience or dedication.
Mass terror attacks way the fuck up though
John Wayne Gacy killed 33 people, that we know of, in his entire life. 21 killed in Uvalde alone.
We just streamlined things.
Why kill them serially, while you can kill them in parallel.
Stupid IT joke, sorry.
This alarming decrease in the population of notorious serial killers poses an immediate threat to our society, as it could lead to a shortage of chilling true-crime documentaries and thrilling podcast series. To address this pressing issue, we must work together towards increasing the number of active serial killers. Here are a few possible ways to do so:
Serial Killer Incubation Programs: To ensure we never run out of potential murderers, we could create incubation programs specifically geared toward nurturing future serial killer talents. By identifying young individuals with a predisposition towards violence and sociopathic tendencies, these programs would provide them with the necessary training to hone their craft. Just as Olympians train for years before they reach the pinnacle of their sport, we can develop a similar system for aspiring serial killers.
Free Education: We could offer free education to troubled youths who show a promising aptitude for serial killing. Providing them with the best resources will enable these young minds to explore advanced methods for committing multiple homicides. Subjects such as forensics, human psychology, and law enforcement tactics could be included in their curriculum. This knowledge would empower them to avoid detection while enhancing their body count.
Tax Incentives: One way to encourage individuals to take up serial killing as a profession is by offering tax incentives to those actively engaged in the practice. This would make it financially beneficial for people to become serial killers. The more victims they claim, the larger their deductions would be on their annual taxes. They’ll be able to enjoy substantial financial benefits while spreading fear across communities.
Mentorship Programs: Establishing mentorship programs would allow experienced serial killers to guide newcomers through the murky waters of their chosen career path. Veteran murderers like Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy could impart their wisdom and expertise to eager apprentices, ensuring that their deadly legacies live on.
Creative Advertising Campaigns: To increase awareness about the exciting opportunities offered by serial killing, governments could initiate targeted advertising campaigns aimed at disenfranchised and socially isolated individuals. By highlighting the freedom and adrenaline rush associated with this occupation, we could inspire a new generation of predators.
In conclusion, by implementing these measures, we can revitalize the dwindling population of serial killers and ensure our true-crime enthusiasts never run out of captivating stories to consume. Additionally, the increased supply of serial killers will provide police departments with ample opportunities to showcase their skills, further cementing our commitment to public safety.
Now they just do mass shootings.
parallel killers
That was specifically covered in he article.
There’s almost zero overlap in motivations between mass/spree killers, and serial killers.
I tend to agree but I don’t know if we can say that for sure.
Incels who want media attention is one way you could frame both types of killers.
I’m not sure that you can safely label serial killers as incels per se. BTK was married, IIRC. Ted Bundy def. dated. John Gacy was a pedophile (more accurately a hebephile, but close enough).
Many of them were misogynistic for sure, although that’s not necessarily a motive when you have serial killers that are gay or pedophiles (Gacy, Wayne Williams–believed to have been the Atlanta Child Murderer–and Dahmer). Incels seem to be much more likely to be spree or mass murderers; the idea of an incel where all women collectively share the blame seems to be a fairly new idea. And a lot of mass murderers aren’t related to sex a all, like the people that have been trying to start racial holy wars by murdering non-white people.
They have joined the military or private military companies since. they can kill as much as they like with complete impunity, in many wars like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Palestine and Gaza, plus it’s brown people they are killing so they feel triple the reword, society is fine with that as long as it who they view as the enemy who’s the subject of their carnal instincts.
You can’t convince me that the image of the horrors committed by the IDF in Gaza and the US military aren’t of psychopaths having a blast paid for by their own societies.
I mean. War and soldiers of fortune existed in the 80s so I don’t think that’s exactly why.
Sounds to me like there’s a serial serial killer killer on the loose!!
I always thought his fascination with blood on the scene was obscenelly erotical and creepy, but his department thought he’s just quirky.
Could it be that not as many potential serial killers are being born? I believe there is a link between criminality and childhood abuse. Less unwanted kids are being born. Less abuse. Less criminals of all kinds, including serial killers.
I think also it’s because it’s just people are so easily tracked now.
CSI type pop culture television has taught basically everyone on the planet that trace evidence always gets left behind and nobody can hide from DNA. Nowadays through genealogy they don’t even need a direct DNA match.
The Long Island serial killer case that broke recently is a good example, they got evidence out of pizza crust he left in a garbage can outside his office. Evil piece of shit he is.
I also hate people that don’t finish the crust.
Dude is going to turbo hell for that.
Most crime has declined dramatically since the 90s. And yet right wing media is scaring the shit out of people, saying there are murderers, rapists, and terrorists behind every bush.
The world is actually becoming more empathetic and safer, but some people want us to be scared because fear keeps them in power. Don’t believe them.
It’s not just right wing media, all media does this because it drives profits.
Fuck Fox News though, they are terrible for a multitude of reasons.
Yes, that’s true, but right wing media is doing it on an exponentially larger scale than others, which is why I called them out.
I upvote while I gare angrily at NYC.
Fads always make a return eventually… 😌
bro how are you everywhere? why can’t I escape you??
Lots of great possibilities listed in article.
I was shocked that 60% of murders are solved. It was not that long ago that the solving rate was near 20%.
It was roughly 60% in 2018, which was lower than it was decades before that. It was 90% in the 1960s for instance. Murder clearance rates have been declining for decades. 2023 was under 50% and is a record low for murder clearance.
Basically more and more murders are going unsolved, and this is a trend stretching decades. National murder clearance rates have never been 20% since that data has been tracked.
Some cities are near that currently though, like Oakland. Interpreting police incompetence around murder cases as somehow indicating less serial killing is pretty absurd.
I think the lead poisoning theory is a bit overblown, personally. There’s something to it, but “all the serial killers were just brain damaged” is I think trying to put a very neat little bow around a complex package.
I think a lot of it is simply that it’s harder to get away with murder now. I mean not to make it sound too easy but in 1982 there were a lot of ways to kill someone that basically could not be tracked back to you as long as you weren’t literally seen doing it. People aren’t stupid, they know this, and they change their patterns around it.
Additionally, I’m sure that (potentially as a result of this) we have more spree/mass killings now, and a decent deal of spree killings have a component of sexual frustration to them as many serial killers had.
I figure it’s mostly the electronics angle. Your phone, if you have it with you it’s really obvious if you travel to the area crimes happen. Heck, even not using your phone or other connected electronics can indicate something. Your car seen on surveillance cameras which are everywhere, from private home’s doorbells to commercial cameras to municipal roadway cameras. Your internet search history of maybe the victim or the location. Automatic toll payments. You’d have to live an almost completely disconnected life and take serious measures to avoid detection, and even then it’s not a sure thing.
Yep. The Moscow Murders seem to be a good example of this. College student seemingly took a lot of precaution to stab 4 people to death in their rental home, left almost nothing behind, turned his cell phone off during the crime - but he’s still dinged because earlier records show him basically scoping out the house in days prior based off his cell phone location.
I should say it’s not yet stated in a court of law whether this student actually did the killings, and courts do get those decisions wrong - but even still it’s a good example of how technology can track you essentially all the time
