Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer

[John G]

Hi Pierre
yes. as im sure most people on here also know.

Post mortem serial killers are very rare and ones who dissect and remove internal organs are rarer still. in fact, I don't know of any other serial killer who is very similar to the ripper.

Regarding last question-search and research suspects who may have had the background to carry out such activity. ie-doctors, field surgens, hunters, butchers etc.

personally, I think the ripper must have had at least human internal anatomical experience and probably some kind of medical surgical background.

Hi Abby,

Medical surgical background?" Just like Francis Thompson then, who trained as a surgeon for several years. Sorry Abby, I just couldn't resist being mischievous!

[John G]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre

I've cited the Keppel study myself on several occasions, and whilst I consider it useful a degree of caution is required. Thus, Keppel argues that picquerism is a main component of JtR's signature. That conclusion is problematic because it's at least questionable as to whether picquerism actually exists, I.e as a clearly defined mental health condition: see for example Frances and First, 2011. It has also been argued by Eratta that sadism is a fundamental characteristic of picquerism, but I would personally doubt that JtR was a sadist.

Keppel also concludes that pre-planning and the posing of the victims were signature characteristics, but I think that's also questionable. Another conclusion was that JtR focussed his attack on the genital area, however, in Tabram's case the overwhelming majority of the stab wounds were in the upper part of the body and, considering she was stabbed 39 times in an apparent frenzy, wounds to the lower portion of the body may have been incidental.

Regarding the rarity of the crimes, this is based on data from the HITS database, which applies to Washington State (it also assumes that Keppel was correct in his signature analysis). However, we cannot assume that contemporary data derived from a relatively sparsely populated, and largely rural, north-western American state would be equally applicable to a late Victorian, densely populated, English metropolis, i.e London.

[Fisherman]

My opinion is that death wasn't required. The cutting, piercing and slashing is what the point. He killed his victims because it was easier to do that way.

I admit my opinion is based on three lines from the movie "Silence of the Lambs"

Lecter: What does he do, this man you seek?
Claire: He kills women.
Lecter: No. That is purely incidental. HE CUTS.

Close enough, Sir John. What Lecter actually says is that he covets...

[caz]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre

Hi Pierre,

I think it means it is highly unlikely that more than one killer (or just possibly a pair of killers working together) was responsible for all the Whitechapel mutilation murders from 1888 to 1891.

Love,

Caz
X

[harry]

My opinion is that the killing was an act of punishment.The rest an act of grandstanding.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

My opinion is that death wasn't required. The cutting, piercing and slashing is what the point. He killed his victims because it was easier to do that way.

I admit my opinion is based on three lines from the movie "Silence of the Lambs"

Lecter: What does he do, this man you seek?
Claire: He kills women.
Lecter: No. That is purely incidental. HE CUTS.

[Abby Normal]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre

Hi Pierre
yes. as im sure most people on here also know.

Post mortem serial killers are very rare and ones who dissect and remove internal organs are rarer still. in fact, I don't know of any other serial killer who is very similar to the ripper.

Regarding last question-search and research suspects who may have had the background to carry out such activity. ie-doctors, field surgens, hunters, butchers etc.

personally, I think the ripper must have had at least human internal anatomical experience and probably some kind of medical surgical background.

[Pierre]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre