Jack the Ripper & Geographic Profiling

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 24th Jun 2024

Many people have a curiosity concerning serial killers. It’s one of the reasons that Hollywood and the media create movies, documentaries, and TV shows about them. Most people can make sense of a one-off killing, that is either accidental, or a reaction or crime of passion that happens in the moment. We can usually comprehend singular killings that are premeditated, such as someone killing their partner for insurance/monetary reasons etc. But serial killers seem to be more about the act of killing itself, rather gaining some type of “tangible” from it i.e., they must get some emotional enjoyment from killing...Click To Read More

Moving House

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 17th Jun 2024

Moving house is one of the most stressful things in life. Having experienced moving across continents I will readily attest to this. I currently own some of the most expensive wrapping paper on the planet; time ran out so I ended up quickly packing – and paying expensive shipping rates on – lots of stuff I should have gotten rid of. When we move to a new house/apartment, the “security” of our new home is often somewhat low down on the list of priorities e.g., we get caught up with how our furniture should be arranged, the color we want...Click To Read More

First Impressions

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 10th Jun 2024

When I was a grad student, I was asked to take part in an experiment as part of an undergraduate student’s research. My photograph was taken (head and shoulders), and along with others, shown to various people, who would then “guess” and “speculate” on our various occupations. Answers were open-ended, rather than provided as options to select from. The most common response given to my photograph was “window cleaner” i.e., that was the “first impression”, regarding occupation, that people had of me. It is worth pointing out – to demonstrate the limits of research – that this particular study was...Click To Read More

Alyssa Zinger & Pedophilia

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 3rd Jun 2024

Pedophilia (the sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children) and Hebephilia (a sexual interest in pubescent children who are beginning to physically show secondary sex characteristics), are often, and correctly, associated with male offenders. When/where women are involved in such offenses it is often as a co-offender who engages in sexual acts against children (SCA) with a partner/boyfriend etc. There are exceptions when such acts are led and dominated by women, such as with the serial killers Fred and Rose West, however these are so rare, that in the initial investigation, Fred was seen as the primary abuser/killer, with Rose simply following...Click To Read More