Date of Award
Spring 2022
Degree Type
Capstone - Open Access
Abstract
Contrary to popular belief, Black serial killers make up a large portion of these types of violent offenders. In fact, they are over-represented in this type of crime, encompassing one-fifth of all serial murderers. However, little is known about the frequency, severity, and commonality of Black serial killers in the United States. According to news and entertainment media, serial killing and mass murder is a White male phenomenon. The little representation that Black serial killers receive is not due to a lack of them offending, but a lack of media reporting except in extreme or unusual circumstances. Additionally, when Black serial killers are represented in the media, the tone, language, and depth of information provided is limited and often stereotypical of Black criminal offending. This research is a content analysis of written newspaper articles from the past ten years, and aims to understand the themes present in written news media articles when comparing the racial differences in the reporting of serial killers. These themes are discovered through analysis of tone, language, and depth of articles selected in the sampling frame. The research suggests that these articles carry a harsh tone and use strong, negative language to describe these types of perpetrators and their crimes. Thus, key elements of racially different reporting can be identified and prevented in the future, in order for society to understand the racial differences in motives, victims, and criminal profiling that is integral to solving and preventing these horrific crimes.
Recommended Citation
Havens, Janelle, "The Invisible Offender: A Content Analysis of Black Serial Killers and Media" (2022). Criminology Student Work. 51.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/crm_studentpub/51