Question 1

Women are _____ than men to commit mass murder.

Accepted Answer

Women are less likely than men to commit mass murder. According to research, the majority of mass murderers are male. In a study of mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and August 2020, only 16 of the 114 identified perpetrators were women.

Question 2

Which of the following characteristics are common to both mass and serial murderers?

Accepted Answer

Both mass and serial murderers commit murder as a means of control over life. This is a common motivation for both types of killers. The other options are not necessarily true for both types of murderers.

Question 3

In some mass killings an offender begins killing in one location, then moves to another location to continue.What is this phenomenon called?

Accepted Answer

Bifurcation refers to the phenomenon where an offender starts a mass killing in one location and then continues in another, essentially dividing the event into two distinct parts or locations.

Question 4

Homicide offenders are mostly _____.

Accepted Answer

According to FBI data, males account for approximately 90% of all homicide offenders in the United States.

Question 5

With the exception of those who murder their families, mass murderers appear to _____.

Accepted Answer

Mass murderers often act with little concern for the consequences, such as capture or death, distinguishing their mindset from other types of criminals who might take extensive measures to avoid these outcomes.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a myth surrounding serial killers?

Accepted Answer

The myth that all serial killers are male is widespread, but it's not true that one in five U.S. serial killers is black; this statement is not a myth but a statistic that challenges the stereotype that serial killers are predominantly white. Serial killers can be of any race, and the notion that they are all male, all insane, or all motivated by lust are indeed myths.

Question 7

One of the confounding myths of serial murder is that they are all, by definition _____.

Accepted Answer

Not all serial murders are sexual in nature; they can be motivated by various factors such as power, control, or financial gain.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a fact surrounding serial killers?

Accepted Answer

Serial killers typically do not have high mobility; most tend to operate within a specific local area rather than traveling extensively across the country.

Question 9

What are spree murders sometimes called?

Accepted Answer

Spree murders are sometimes called cluster killings because they involve the killing of multiple victims in a short period of time and in multiple locations. The term "spree" suggests a rapid and random sequence of killings, while "cluster" emphasizes the geographical proximity of the crimes. The other answer choices (B, C, and D) are not commonly used terms for spree murders.

Question 10

When combining all mass murders, mini-mass murders, and attempted mass murders, the incidences of such murders remains _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When combining all mass murders, mini-mass murders,...

Question 11

Stereotypes of serial murderers that have formed in the minds of American society include:

Accepted Answer

All of the above are common stereotypes of serial murderers in American society. They are often portrayed as cold-blooded killers who enjoy inflicting pain and suffering on their victims, and as individuals who may appear normal on the surface, but have a dark and violent side that they strive to keep hidden from others.

Question 12

According to the FBI, what is killing four or more persons at one time considered to be?

Accepted Answer

The FBI defines mass murder as "the killing of four or more persons at one time."

Question 13

According to Haggerty, which precondition for serial murder does not have its roots in modernity?

Accepted Answer

Haggerty argues that the precondition of a society in which everyone knows everyone else does not have its roots in modernity, as it has been a characteristic of small communities and villages throughout history. The other three preconditions listed have their roots in modern society.

Question 14

Which of the following offenders has been identified as a serial killer?

Accepted Answer

Jerry Brudos, also known as the "Lust Killer," was convicted of killing four young women in Oregon during the late 1960s. He was a serial killer. Richard Speck was a mass murderer who killed eight student nurses in Chicago in 1966. James Huberty was a mass murderer who killed 21 people at a McDonald's restaurant in California in 1984. Charles Whitman was a mass murderer who killed 16 people and injured 31 others during a shooting spree at the University of Texas at Austin in 1966.

Question 15

Females who were murdered by someone they knew accounted for _____ percent of female homicides.

Accepted Answer

42.7% of female homicides were committed by someone the victim knew.

Question 16

Holmes and Holmes, in their mass murderer classifications, would place Mark Barton in which category?

Accepted Answer

Holmes and Holmes classify family slayer or annihilator as someone who kills their immediate family members before taking their own life or attempting to flee. Mark Barton killed his wife and children before going on a shooting spree at his workplace and ultimately taking his own life, fitting the criteria for a family slayer or annihilator.

Question 17

Compared to a mass murderer, a serial murderer _____.

Accepted Answer

A serial murderer individualizes his or her murders, meaning they kill one person at a time over a period of time, as opposed to a mass murderer who kills many people in one location at the same time. The other options are not accurate descriptions of serial murderers.

Question 18

In 2012, males accounted for _____of all murder victims.

Accepted Answer

According to the FBI's Crime in the United States report for 2012, males accounted for 77.4 percent of all murder victims.

Question 19

According to Holmes and Holmes, a person who plans an escape route following the killing aftermath falls into which mass murderer classification?

Accepted Answer

A set-and-run killer is a mass murderer who plans an escape route following the killing. They are also known as "spree killers" and are characterized by committing multiple murders over a short period of time, with no cooling-off period between the killings.

Question 20

In his novel, American Psycho, Ellis did NOT explore which of the following?

Accepted Answer

While Ellis does delve into the main character's psychopathy, narcissism, and sadism, there is no focus or exploration of obsessive-compulsive disorder in American Psycho.

Quiz 1: Introduction