FBI Opens File on 'Jack the Ripper'
Stephanie Elio
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: Halloween
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Stephanie Elio
Impact Staff
Ritualistic serial killers such as Jack the Ripper generally begin committing their crimes in their mid to late 20s, according to an analysis done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"The high degree of psychopathology exhibited at the scene, the ability of the subject to converse with the victim until a suitable location is found, and the ability to avoid detection, places (the serial killer) between the age bracket of 28 to 36 years in age," said the 1988 report. The Ripper is theorized to have murdered between five and 11 victims, yet there are no precise numbers.
Jack the Ripper, or the "unsub" (unknown subject) as he was referred to in the report, is notorious for having murdered prostitutes in London, England in the late nineteenth century.
The victims, with the exception of one, were "swiftly" killed outside, said the report, and the bodies were mutilated postmortem. However, there was no evidence of sexual assault, said the FBI report.
Though the killer was never captured or identified, the 1988 report, prepared by Supervisory Special Agent John E. Douglas, detailed the Ripper's crimes ands profiles much as would be done today.
As has been seen in modern-day offenders, the subject's background and childhood most likely has a significant amount to do with his homicidal tendencies.
Douglas' profile cited a possible "absent father" and a "domineering mother" as the killer's familial background, failing to create a "stable" home life, and giving way to Jack the Ripper's becoming "detached socially…[with] a diminished emotional response toward his fellow man."
"As he grew older, his fantasy developed a strong component that included domination, cruelty, and mutilation of women," said the report. "We would expect to find evidence of this violent destructive fantasy life through personal writings of his as well as drawings of women being mutilated."
The "unsub" also likely has a "poor self-image" said the FBI report, because of some type of physical abnormality.
As far as the victims he chose, the Ripper likely killed prostitutes "because they were readily available" and he "did not have to initiate the contact," according to the analysis, which is linked to his decidedly "asocial" behavior.
The killer had the sense to control his tendencies in some way to avoid being caught; as stated in the report, "There would have been have been many other women who confronted Jack the Ripper and were not assaulted because the location was not secure enough."
But if Jack the Ripper was never identified or caught, what happened to him after the murders in 1888?
"We would be surprised if Jack the Ripper would suddenly stop," Douglas said.
According to the FBI report, when crimes such as these cease, it is because the suspect was close to being identified, was interviewed by the police, or was arrested for some other type of offense.
Impact Staff
Ritualistic serial killers such as Jack the Ripper generally begin committing their crimes in their mid to late 20s, according to an analysis done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"The high degree of psychopathology exhibited at the scene, the ability of the subject to converse with the victim until a suitable location is found, and the ability to avoid detection, places (the serial killer) between the age bracket of 28 to 36 years in age," said the 1988 report. The Ripper is theorized to have murdered between five and 11 victims, yet there are no precise numbers.
Jack the Ripper, or the "unsub" (unknown subject) as he was referred to in the report, is notorious for having murdered prostitutes in London, England in the late nineteenth century.
The victims, with the exception of one, were "swiftly" killed outside, said the report, and the bodies were mutilated postmortem. However, there was no evidence of sexual assault, said the FBI report.
Though the killer was never captured or identified, the 1988 report, prepared by Supervisory Special Agent John E. Douglas, detailed the Ripper's crimes ands profiles much as would be done today.
As has been seen in modern-day offenders, the subject's background and childhood most likely has a significant amount to do with his homicidal tendencies.
Douglas' profile cited a possible "absent father" and a "domineering mother" as the killer's familial background, failing to create a "stable" home life, and giving way to Jack the Ripper's becoming "detached socially…[with] a diminished emotional response toward his fellow man."
"As he grew older, his fantasy developed a strong component that included domination, cruelty, and mutilation of women," said the report. "We would expect to find evidence of this violent destructive fantasy life through personal writings of his as well as drawings of women being mutilated."
The "unsub" also likely has a "poor self-image" said the FBI report, because of some type of physical abnormality.
As far as the victims he chose, the Ripper likely killed prostitutes "because they were readily available" and he "did not have to initiate the contact," according to the analysis, which is linked to his decidedly "asocial" behavior.
The killer had the sense to control his tendencies in some way to avoid being caught; as stated in the report, "There would have been have been many other women who confronted Jack the Ripper and were not assaulted because the location was not secure enough."
But if Jack the Ripper was never identified or caught, what happened to him after the murders in 1888?
"We would be surprised if Jack the Ripper would suddenly stop," Douglas said.
According to the FBI report, when crimes such as these cease, it is because the suspect was close to being identified, was interviewed by the police, or was arrested for some other type of offense.
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