Title: Facts and Fictions About Serial Killers | Psychology Today
Headings: Facts and Fictions About Serial Killers
Scott A. Bonn Ph.D.
Facts and Fictions About Serial Killers
Much of what we think we know is untrue.

Content: Oversimplification by state authorities and the news media has kept the public in the dark about the real complexity of serial killers, including the very diverse emotional needs and compulsions that drive them to murder innocent people who, generally speaking, are complete strangers to them. article continues after advertisement
Perhaps it will come as no surprise that the public typically overestimates the number of serial killers operating in America. As measured by opinion polls, the general public believes that serial killers are responsible for about 25 percent of all murders in the U.S. In reality, serial homicides represent a much smaller portion of all murders than that. Serial killings account for no more than 1 percent of all murders committed in the U.S.
Based on recent FBI crime statistics, there are approximately 17,000 murders annually, so that means there are no more than 170 victims of serial murder in the U.S. in any given year. The FBI estimates that there are between twenty-five and fifty serial killers operating throughout the U.S. at any given time. If there are 50, then each one is responsible for an average of 3.4 murders per year. Serial killers are always present in society. However, the statistics reveal that serial homicide is quite rare and it represents a small portion of all murders committed in the U.S. Serial killers are not nearly as prevalent or prolific as believed by most Americans. Persistent misinformation, stereotypes, and hyperbole presented in the media have combined with the relative rarity of serial murder cases to foster a number of popular myths about serial murder. The most common myths about serial killers encompass such factors as their race, gender, intelligence, living conditions, and victim characteristics.