The FBI Profile of Jack the Ripper & it's usefulness

[John G]

You might like to read through a series of posts by Prosector, who teaches surgery, and was able to explain why the killer displayed some anatomical/surgical knowledge.
http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=7595

This is very interesting Wickerman. Interestingly, the surgical experts that Trevor Marriott consulted took a similar view. However, even more interesting is that the forensic pathologist, Dr Biggs, was of the view that the killer demonstrated no surgical or anatomical knowledge.

[Fisherman]

This is very interesting Wickerman. Interestingly, the surgical experts that Trevor Marriott consulted took a similar view. However, even more interesting is that the forensic pathologist, Dr Biggs, was of the view that the killer demonstrated no surgical or anatomical knowledge.

T´was always like that and like that t´will always be. The only ones who do not see that are those who have sold their souls to the he-must-have-been-an-expert-in-anatomy-with-surgical-training devil.

What we must keep in mind in an errand like this is that when the overall verdict is one of "he may have been an expert and he may not have been", then we can bank on there not being any conclusive evidence at all to prove that he was an expert.

[lynn cates]

sensible

Hello Christer, Abby. Very sensible posts.

I won't repeat here what FBI stands for. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[Abby Normal]

Hello Christer, Abby. Very sensible posts.

I won't repeat here what FBI stands for. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

HI Lynn
Yes having actually lived through the Beltway Sniper serial killer incident (I live in the DC suburbs), I know the FBI profilers can get it very wrong.

Also, having read Douglas book, you would think that he and profilers have solved every case from the ripper to LISK. LOL.

I do think the database, and other peripheral work they do on it is very good however.

[Pcdunn]

I've been trying to find the price of matches in 1888 and been unsuccessful. If they were sold in boxes of fifty at a time at say 3 pence a box, that wouldn't be beyond a working man's pocket.

I know Cadosch had not been well, but if he was in full time employment there would have been boxes of matches in his home, and, as that news item shows, there were some used to light the oil lamp.

Unfortunately, those sort of accidents when there were lots of open fires and oil lamps and candles in the home, were extremely common.

Francis Thompson tried to make a meager living while on the streets by selling matches, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, so perhaps people could buy a few at a time, instead of entire boxes of them.

[Sleuth1888]

Now I know that the validity and purpose of criminal/geo profiling is disputed by many on Casebook when it comes to analyzing the Ripper murders, but I do believe they are a useful tool to get inside the heads of modern serial killers. Both modern and old time serial killers must have shared similar thought patterns, triggers and emotions. So it might be useful to employ in regards to the old cases of crime to some extent.