Characteristics of non-serial sexual homicide offenders: a review

A number of issues have complicated the study of sexual killers. Empirical research has not always differentiated non-serial from serial killers or those killers who perpetrate crimes against adults from children or male from female victims. This paper sets out to review studies that have predominantly considered non-serial (where the perpetrator has been convicted for killing one victim) sexual killings of adult females (14 years or older) in terms of childhood, adulthood, victim or crime scene information. Possible characteristics of these perpetrators are identified from relevant literature and these are discussed in terms of assessment and future research.