Developmental pathways to serial homicide: A critical review of the biological literature

This paper offers a historically grounded review of several biologically based developmental theories for serial homicide. Beginning with a discussion that outlines nineteenth-century etiological theories, this article guides its reader through a series of intellectual and scientific developments - all of which have contributed to our current understanding of the etiology of serial homicide. Embedded within this review is a critical examination of how social, methodological, and other such limitations have stalled and prevented the development of a meaningful etiological account for serial homicide. This author offers some direction to help researchers overcome these limitations, and suggests three additional lines of inquiry that may help to illuminate biologically-based developmental trajectories. This paper concludes by reinforcing the need for a transdisciplinary approach when studying violence risk and prevention within this population specifically.