A Scoping Review of Serial Homicide Geographic Mobility Literature and Four Typologies

• Author: Caroline V. Comerford
• DOI: 10.1177/1088767921993506
• Published date: 01 May 2022
• Date: 01 May 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767921993506

Homicide Studies

2022, Vol. 26(2) 148 –175

© 2021 SAGE Publications

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/1088767921993506

journals.sagepub.com/home/hsx

Articles

A Scoping Review of Serial

Homicide Geographic

Mobility Literature and

Four Typologies

Caroline V. Comerford1

Abstract

The study of geographic mobility through geospatial analysis and journey-to-crime

approaches has made progress in environmental criminology, finding most offenders

commit crime close to their residence. However, extant literature on serial homicide

and geographic mobility is scarce, specifically lacking a comprehensive appraisal of

relative research. To gain a better understanding of the geographic mobility patterns

of serial homicide offenders, we must determine the current status of literature in this

area, to figure out where to go in terms of future research. Therefore, the following

study is a scoping review of existing literature on geographic mobility and serial

homicide and four associated typologies (Holmes & DeBurger’s Geographic typology,

Hickey’s Mobility typology, Canter’s Circle typology, and Rossmo’s Hunting Style

typology) to achieve the following: (1) Comprehensively evaluate literature regarding

serial homicide geographic mobility and four associated typologies to establish the

current status of research; (2) uncover potential literature gaps; and (3) provide

future research recommendations. Literature sources (N = 43) on serial homicide

and geographic mobility (1985–2018) were examined. While findings recognize the

relevance of mobility functions in serial homicide investigations, gaps in literature

were evident regarding serial homicide geographic mobility and the four associated

typologies. Findings also reveal that systematic research in this field is limited. Policy

implications and future research recommendations are discussed.

Keywords

serial killers, geospatial analysis, journey-to-crime, scoping review, typologies, mobility

patterns

1Florida International University, Miami, USA

Corresponding Author:

Caroline V. Comerford, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199-0001, USA.

Email: ccome011@fiu.edu

993506HSXXXX10.1177/1088767921993506Homicide StudiesComerford

research-article2021

Comerford 149

Environmental criminology plays a pivotal role in further understanding situational

and environmental factors related to crime. Geospatial analysis (hereafter, GSA) and

journey-to- crime (henceforth, JTC) are well-documented analytical approaches in

environmental criminology predominantly concerned with geographic mobility pat-

terns of criminals (Canter & Larkin, 1993; LeBeau, 1992). Prior research suggests

serial offenders have similar offending processes, crime patterns, and spatial charac-

teristics, which may be applicable to all types of serial crime (Canter, 2003; Goodwill

& Alison, 2005; Rossmo, 1995a). While various studies have utilized GSA and/or JTC

to examine serial crime, research related to serial homicide geographic mobility is

scarce and lacks a comprehensive appraisal of the existing literature.

Four prominent geographic mobility typologies were also included in this appraisal

of the existing geographic mobility literature: (1) Holmes and DeBurger’s Geographic

typology; (2) Hickey’s Mobility typology; (3) Canter and Larkin’s Circle typology; and

(4) Rossmo’s Hunting typology. All four typologies include components concerning the

geographic mobility patterns of serial killers (i.e., geographically stable, transient, or

mixed journey-to-crime patterns). The reason all four typologies were reviewed in this

study is because they are the most prominent geographic mobility typologies in serial

homicide literature concerning the geospatial patterns of serial killers.

Therefore, the following study is a scoping review of existing literature on geo-

graphic mobility and serial homicide and by extension four associated mobility typol-

ogies well-documented in serial crime research to achieve the following: (1)

Comprehensively review existing literature regarding serial homicide geographic

mobility and four associated typologies to establish the current status of research; (2)

uncover potential literature gaps; and (3) provide future research recommendations to

further strengthen and develop literature in this area. To achieve these objectives, the

following scoping review was conducted to answer three primary research questions:

1. What do we know about geographic mobility (i.e., GSA and JTC) and serial

homicide?

2. What do we know about the following serial homicide geographic mobility

typologies: Holmes and DeBurger’s typology, Hickey’s typology, Canter’s

typology, and Rossmo’s typology?

3. What (if any) are the gaps in existing literature regarding serial homicide, geo-

graphic mobility patterns, and the four above-listed typologies?

Literature Review

The phenomenon of serial homicide, while considered statistically rare, is undeniably

existent. One of the primary difficulties in researching serial homicide is accurately

quantifying its occurrence. While considered uncommon, evidence suggests serial

homicide may be more frequent than previously specified (Hickey, 2013; Quinet,

2007). As Hickey (2013) noted, “we can never know for sure the actual number of

serial killers” (p. 41). While there continues to be a contentious debate regarding the

quantification of serial homicide, the geographic mobility patterns of serial murderers

provide the primary context for the following literature review.