The research by Canter, et.al. (2004), addressed the question of whether the Serial Killer typology of organized /disorganized was a myth or a model. The researchers were based at The Centre for Investigative Psychology at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. They used data compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigations “FBI” at the Behavioral Analysis Unit “BAU” at Quantico, Virginia and cross-referenced that data with the profiles compiled by U.S. BAU’s located in the U.K. and Canada. The researchers, Canter, et.al. (2004) examined 100 cases of 100 serial killers using a multidimensional scale of psychological measurements. A distinction between organized and disorganized methodology was made based on forensic reports, crime …show more content…
Preplanning is part of this organized method, and the perpetrators weapon is taken to and from the orderly crime scene and little if any, trace evidence is found. Canter, et.al. (2004) found indicators that an organized offender will kill after a precipitating event such as a financial or relationship stressor. Whereas, a disorganized offender is found to have lower than average intelligence, be socially incompetent and leave a disorderly crime scene with trace evidence such as weapons, semen or other bodily fluids and fingerprints are often present at the crime scene. The research of Canter, et.al. (2004) found the organized/disorganized dichotomy to be the most influential typology due in part to the hype in the media and offered a third typology of “mixed offender,” where both organized and disorganized components were found at the crime scene. Information analyzed in this study was based on criminal profiling and behavior analysis on serial killers, exclusively in the United States. The study has moderate validity because data from several disciplines was