Wicked Deeds

Examining criminal motives and behavior

Scott A. Bonn Ph.D.

Why Are We Drawn To Criminals and Monsters?

Empathy enables us to identify with the monster or killer, which makes them less scary.

Crime Facts and Fictions

One of the great myths about murder is that the number of incidents is constantly on the rise in the U.S.

Inside the Mind of Serial Killer Dennis Rader, AKA BTK

Rader fancies himself a natural born predator who is no more responsible for killing than a venomous snake or a shark.

Suicide Rates, Even Among Children, Are Rising Dramatically

There are corrosive social forces currently at work in the U.S. that can explain the sharply rising suicide rate.

Serial Murder Versus Mass Murder

Serial murder and mass murder are two very different types of crime with very different motivations and goals on the part of the perpetrator.

New York state map

What Is The Serial Killer Capital of the U.S.?

The scope and magnitude of New York City make it an attractive hunting ground for a serial killer who desires public recognition for his crimes.

The Media and Police Promote Myths about Murder

Much of the public’s knowledge about homicide is a product of stylized and stereotypical depictions of such events in the news and entertainment media.

Evil Is Not a Universal Truth

The concept of evil is man-made and defined by a specific time and culture.

Understanding Mission Killers

Mission-oriented serial killers are pragmatic in orientation and focused on the act of killing.

Suicide: A Tragic Sign of the Times

Alienating social forces over the past decade have made suicide the new murder as frustrated and fearful Americans increasingly turn their anger onto themselves.

Suicide is a Much Bigger Problem than Murder

Almost entirely absent from public discussion is the fact that the steady rise in suicide has been accompanied by a steady decline in homicide in the U.S.

Serial Killer Myth: They Travel and Kill Widely

The roaming, homicidal maniac is an entertainment media stereotype rarely found in real life.

Organized Versus Disorganized Serial Predators

At the heart of criminal profiling is the idea that serial killer crime scenes can be classified as either "organized" or "disorganized" in presentation.

Many Serial Killers Crave Public Notoriety

Some serial killers seek out public notoriety, and actively engage in the creation of their public image by corresponding with the police and news media.

Serial Homicide for Power and Control

Power/control killers are often stone-cold psychopaths who combine a need for domination with charm, charisma and intelligence.

The Solution to Fear-Based Violence is Faith

If fear is the root cause of all violent crime, then faith and positive action are the solution to fear-based violence.

The Mass Shooting-Suicide Connection

Negative and alienating social forces have made suicide the new murder as an increasing number of Americans turn their anger onto themselves.

The Differences Between Psychopaths and Sociopaths

In addition to their many commonalities, sociopaths and psychopaths have their own unique behavioral characteristics and origins.

Cyberstalkers Are Difficult to Stop

Social media and networking services enact content guidelines that have little to do with protecting the rights of the public.

Criminal Profiling: The Original Mind Hunters

Practitioners of profiling analyzing evidence gathered at a crime scene and statements provided by victims and witnesses in order to develop a description of an unknown offender.

Mass Public Shootings Are on the Rise

There are powerful social forces today that promote mass murder, including financial fears, distrust of government, prejudice and racism, terrorism and constant war.

Our Curious Fascination With Serial Killers

Serial killers are larger-than-life popular culture celebrities due to the efforts of law enforcement authorities and the media which feed the public’s appetite for the macabre.

When Pretty White Women Kill.

When an attractive young, white woman goes on trial for murder, a public feeding frenzy ensues for graphic images and information about the case in the media.

Did Trump Create A Moral Panic To Get Elected?

Is it possible for influential individuals or groups to achieve their goals by either creating or exploiting widespread public fear?

Beware of the Power Elite in Society

The late, visionary sociologist C. Wright Mills warned that acts of elite deviance that cause social or criminal harm are part of the “higher immorality of the power elite.”

Fear-Based Anger Is the Primary Motive for Violence

Anger is not a primary emotion. It is a secondary emotion or reaction. Fear or terror is the root of all anger.

How the News Media Make Monsters

The news media frequently refer to murderers in nonhuman and supernatural terms, using inflammatory words like evil, vampire, and monster.

How the Police Create Monsters

State managers, including law enforcement authorities and politicians, define who and what is evil in our society.

How and Why Societal Elites Manipulate Public Fear

Public fear over an alleged social problem is mutually beneficial to state officials—that is, politicians, law enforcement authorities and the news media.

Why Elite White-Collar Criminals Are Rarely Punished

White-collar criminals benefit from institutionalized non-enforcement practices, regulatory policies and legal representation not available to street criminals.

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