Shadow Boxing

Suicide

How to (Not) Get Away with Murder

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on October 3, 2024

A recent double homicide staged as a double suicide had several known red flags for deception and manipulation.

A recent double homicide staged as a double suicide had several known red flags for deception and manipulation.

Bias

Seeing the Person in a Skull

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on September 23, 2024

A course on forensic art for the identification of human remains emphasized the role of perception in observation and accuracy.

A course on forensic art for the identification of human remains emphasized the role of perception in observation and accuracy.

Serial Killers

Serial Killers, True Crime, and the Con Man

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on August 29, 2024

Stéphane Bourgoin falsely claimed to be an expert on serial killers. His fraud shows a need to explore the psychology of a culture that long accepted his fake credentials.

Stéphane Bourgoin falsely claimed to be an expert on serial killers. His fraud shows a need to explore the psychology of a culture that long accepted his fake credentials.

Law and Crime

Predatory Girls

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on August 20, 2024

Recent cases of predatory violence from young females highlight the lack of research on this population, and the need for it.

Recent cases of predatory violence from young females highlight the lack of research on this population, and the need for it.

Genetics

The Detective Who Never Gives Up

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on July 26, 2024

Detective Lindsey Wade has learned the value of grit during her investigations of killers and sex offenders. She has some good advice.

Detective Lindsey Wade has learned the value of grit during her investigations of killers and sex offenders. She has some good advice.

Serial Killers

Ted Bundy’s Back Story

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on July 22, 2024

Edna Cowell Martin opens up in a new memoir on her childhood and college-age friendship with Ted Bundy, believing in his innocence until the day he showed her the truth.

Edna Cowell Martin opens up in a new memoir on her childhood and college-age friendship with Ted Bundy, believing in his innocence until the day he showed her the truth.

Law and Crime

6 Ways to Safeguard a Murder Hunch

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on July 13, 2024

Professionals and amateurs alike speculate about murder cases, and some approaches get mired in bias.

Professionals and amateurs alike speculate about murder cases, and some approaches get mired in bias.

Serial Killers

Long-Haul Serial Killers

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on June 27, 2024

A newly published study of long-haul truckers focuses on factors that make this occupation attractive to predators and how the FBI investigates their crimes.

A newly published study of long-haul truckers focuses on factors that make this occupation attractive to predators and how the FBI investigates their crimes.

Law and Crime

The Original Crime Scripts

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on June 14, 2024

Crime-scripting helps us to better grasp criminal decision-making, and this notion dates much earlier than many criminologists realize.

Crime-scripting helps us to better grasp criminal decision-making, and this notion dates much earlier than many criminologists realize.

Serial Killers

Suicide and the Cornered Killer

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on June 11, 2024

Serial killer Herb Baumeister killed himself before cops could interrogate him; learning more about killers with suicidal tendencies might help cops to thwart them.

Serial killer Herb Baumeister killed himself before cops could interrogate him; learning more about killers with suicidal tendencies might help cops to thwart them.

Narcissism

The Con Queen’s Mean Scheme

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on May 9, 2024

A new streaming series, "Hollywood Con Queen," depicts a master manipulator who fooled hundreds of marks into enriching him at their expense.

A new streaming series, "Hollywood Con Queen," depicts a master manipulator who fooled hundreds of marks into enriching him at their expense.

Law and Crime

10 Things Crime Fiction Gets Wrong About Forensic Psychology

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on May 4, 2024

They don't interrogate, hypnotize, or visit crime scenes.

They don't interrogate, hypnotize, or visit crime scenes.

Psychopathy

Revising My Ideas About a Kid Who Killed

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on April 12, 2024

After more case research and an updated awareness of adolescents, I reconsidered the story once told about a 50-year-old series of murders involving teenage accomplices.

After more case research and an updated awareness of adolescents, I reconsidered the story once told about a 50-year-old series of murders involving teenage accomplices.

Psychopathy

How Many Female Psychopaths Are There?

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on March 22, 2024

A recent claim that there are far more female psychopaths than once believed warrants deeper scrutiny.

A recent claim that there are far more female psychopaths than once believed warrants deeper scrutiny.

Serial Killers

Mindhunting: A Woman’s Touch

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on March 10, 2024

Women's History Month should recognize Ann Wolbert Burgess for her significant contribution to FBI profiling and to the awareness of trauma in victims of sex crimes.

Women's History Month should recognize Ann Wolbert Burgess for her significant contribution to FBI profiling and to the awareness of trauma in victims of sex crimes.

Law and Crime

Rethinking Kids Who Kill

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on February 21, 2024

A resentencing hearing for two brothers who murdered their family raises conflicting issues over kids who commit extreme crimes.

A resentencing hearing for two brothers who murdered their family raises conflicting issues over kids who commit extreme crimes.

Law and Crime

Can a Murder Aura Be Erased?

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on January 28, 2024

Demolishing a building where violence happened helps communities heal, but some advocates for the preservation of such properties offer reasonable counter-arguments.

Demolishing a building where violence happened helps communities heal, but some advocates for the preservation of such properties offer reasonable counter-arguments.

Law and Crime

Where’s the Human in a Monster?

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on January 16, 2024

Condemning the "monsters" among us might be our first reaction but it's not necessarily the best one; even the worst of us is complex.

Condemning the "monsters" among us might be our first reaction but it's not necessarily the best one; even the worst of us is complex.

Serial Killers

3 Reasons Serial Killers Write to Each Other

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on December 29, 2023

Killers seek out other killers for a limited number of reasons, usually attention, inspiration, or affirmation.

Killers seek out other killers for a limited number of reasons, usually attention, inspiration, or affirmation.

Law and Crime

The Psychiatric Evaluation of John Lennon’s Killer

Katherine Ramsland Ph.D. on December 2, 2023

A new documentary from Apple TV offers a three-part series that revisits the psychiatric concerns about Mark Chapman after he fatally shot John Lennon.

A new documentary from Apple TV offers a three-part series that revisits the psychiatric concerns about Mark Chapman after he fatally shot John Lennon.