ABSTRACT

Sexual murder cannot be understood in isolation from other types of crimes and homicides. Thus, a broad appreciation of crime theory and classification of offenders is necessary to fully grasp this or any other type of criminal behavior. Theories and classification systems of crime developed slowly over the course of many years, as did various laws to govern such conduct (Garland, 1990). For example, in early tribal cultures normative behaviors became ritualized and primitive punishments were assigned to unacceptable actions. Later on, Biblical laws developed and specified various crimes, along with accompanying retribution. In medieval society, crime was equated with evil. As human behavior was supposed to be guided by free will, a criminal act was a free choice by an evil person. As society developed further, governments — rather than unorganized groups — enacted laws and carried out punishments.