CAHSS Faculty Articles
Serial Sexual Murderers and Prostitutes as their Victims: Difficulty Profiling Perpetrators and Victim Vulnerability as Illustrated by the Green River Case
Publication Title
Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention
ISSN
1474-3310
Publication Date
2007
Abstract
Gary Ridgway, the Green River killer, is the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history, preying upon the most vulnerable of victims: prostitutes. This paper examines the difficulty experienced by law enforcement officials when trying to develop the profile of a serial sexual murderer, as illustrated by the Green River case. The lives and experiences of prostitutes are examined to establish their level of susceptibility to crime while also exploring the customers who frequent them. A summary of current research on criminal profiling is analyzed in conjunction to the Green River case with the goal of obtaining an understanding of the drives and motivations behind these crimes. In addition, the forensic and ethical implications of the case are discussed.
DOI
10.1093/brief-treatment/mhl021
Volume
7
Issue
1
First Page
77
Last Page
89
NSUWorks Citation
Levi-Minzi, M., & Shields Levi-Minzi, M. A. (2007). Serial Sexual Murderers and Prostitutes as their Victims: Difficulty Profiling Perpetrators and Victim Vulnerability as Illustrated by the Green River Case. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7 (1), 77-89. https://doi.org/10.1093/brief-treatment/mhl021
