Overkill [Paperback]

James Alan Fox (Author), Jack Levin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2, 1996

In the last decade the world has witnessed a  frightening surge in mass murders and serial  killings. This rash of multiple murders -- in the sheer  number of body counts and volume of blood spilled  -- has shocked civilized society. With each new  discovery of another serial killer, the level of  brutality and gore seems to sink us even deeper  into the abyss of inhumanity. Why this sudden  proliferation of multiple murders, be they the bloody  trail of carnage of a serial murderer or the  unexpected deadly explosion of a mass murderer? What  makes someone go on a murderous rampage? How do  serial killers and mass murderers  differ?



Criminologists James Alan Fox and Jack Levin  - -the nationally renowned authorities on  multiple murder -- have led the field in investigating  these phenomena for over a decade. In this  absobring work, they hold a magnifying glass to the  minds of the perpetrators of these hideous crimes to  explain the seemingly inexplicable. They produce  profiles of the kinds of people who follow these  murderous paths and examine the reasons behind  their vicious acts. They also describe the latest  law enforcement methods used to track down these  heinous killers.



Fox and Levin  explore why multiple-murder sprees are erupting not  only with greater frequency but in more gruesome  ways. The authors leave no stone unturned in  examining the psychological, sociological, and  biological explanations behind these savage misdeeds.  This engrossing book is the culmination of years  of original research as well as one-on-one  interviews with mass and serial murderers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a study that will be of interest primarily to criminologists, Fox and Levin (Mass Murder) categorize serial killers into three types: those who murder for thrills, those who believe they have a mission (e.g., to rid the world of sin) and those who kill for expediency or profit. The authors maintain that most serial killers are not insane, although many are sociopathic and most are loners. The same qualities apparently hold true for mass murderers, with the additional characteristic that they are often individuals who have lost all hope. The authors' conclusions are disheartening: despite the frequent occurrence of these two types of homicide, especially in the U.S., it is impossible evidently to identify either a serial killer or a mass murderer in advance.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

In the last decade the world has witnessed a frightening surge in mass murders and serial killings. This rash of multiple murders -- in the sheer number of body counts and volume of blood spilled -- has shocked civilized society. With each new discovery of another serial killer, the level of brutality and gore seems to sink us even deeper into the abyss of inhumanity. Why this sudden proliferation of multiple murders, be they the bloody trail of carnage of a serial murderer or the unexpected deadly explosion of a mass murderer? What makes someone go on a murderous rampage? How do serial killers and mass murderers differ?

Criminologists James Alan Fox and Jack Levin - -the nationally renowned authorities on multiple murder -- have led the field in investigating these phenomena for over a decade. In this absobring work, they hold a magnifying glass to the minds of the perpetrators of these hideous crimes to explain the seemingly inexplicable. They produce profiles of the kinds of people who follow these murderous paths and examine the reasons behind their vicious acts. They also describe the latest law enforcement methods used to track down these heinous killers.

Fox and Levin explore why multiple-murder sprees are erupting not only with greater frequency but in more gruesome ways. The authors leave no stone unturned in examining the psychological, sociological, and biological explanations behind these savage misdeeds. This engrossing book is the culmination of years of original research as well as one-on-one interviews with mass and serial murderers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Dell (August 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440221897
• ISBN-13: 978-0440221890
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 3.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #562,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Alan Fox is the Lipman Family Professor of Criminology, Law and Public Policy, holding a joint faculty appointment in the College of Criminal Justice and the Law, Policy and Society Program at Northeastern University. He has written 18 books, including The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder (Allyn & Bacon), Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder (Sage) and a forthcoming title, Violence and Security on Campus: From Preschool through College (Praeger). He has published dozens of journal and magazine articles, primarily in the areas of multiple murder, youth crime, school and campus violence, workplace violence, and capital punishment. He has also published nearly 200 op-ed columns in newspapers around the country, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and USA Today, and wrote a bi-weekly column in the Boston Herald in 2006-2007. As an authority on homicide, he frequently appears on national television news programs, including the Today Show, Meet the Press, Dateline, and 20/20, and is regularly interviewed by the press. He was profiled in a two-part cover story in USA Today, in feature stories in the New York Times and the Scientific American, as well as in other media outlets. He also served as a consulting contributor for Fox News following the 9/11 terrorist attack and as an NBC News Analyst during the DC Sniper case. Fox often gives lectures and expert testimony, including over 100 keynote or campus-wide addresses around the country, 16 appearances before the U.S. Congress, White House meetings with President and Mrs. Clinton and Vice President Gore on youth violence, private briefings to Attorney General Reno on trends in violence, and a presentation for Princess Anne of Great Britain. He served on President Clinton's advisory committee on school shootings, and a Department of Education Expert Panel on Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools. He chaired a blue ribbon panel for the city of Seattle investigating the March 2006 Capitol Hill massacre, and has been a visiting fellow with the Bureau of Justice Statistics focusing on the measurement of homicide trends. Finally, Fox was honored in 2007 by the Massachusetts Committee against the Death Penalty with the Hugo Adam Bedau Award for excellence in capital punishment scholarship and by Northeastern University with the 2008 Klein Lectureship.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Garbage In, Garbage Out, July 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Overkill: Mass Murder and Serial Killing Exposed (Hardcover)

This book speculates far more than good authors should do, especially dealing in the mind-boggling world of the serial killer. They are horribly wrong about the extent of Henry Lee Lucas' crimes (the numbers) and seem to know little about Ted Bundy that doesn't come from either Bob Keppel, Hugh Aynesworth or Stephen Michaud. Would love to see some original research.