Abstract:
Serial killing is a dark and complex phenomenon. As researchers have begun to
recognize that serial killing exists and interacts within a broad modern context, how these
factors affect its occurrence has received more attention. This includes serial killers’
occupational preferences and the influence that occupations have on their offending.
However, studies on serial killers’ occupational preferences have been limited to the
United States and the United Kingdom. This thesis sought to classify the occupational
preferences of 36 Canadian serial killers and subsequently analyze how these occupations
may have influenced their offending, both instrumentally and psychologically. According
to Canada’s 2016 National Occupational Classification, Canadian serial killers preferred
occupations in “Management occupations,” “Sales and services occupations,” and
“Trades, transports and equipment operators and related occupations.” Using content
analysis on biographical cases of Canadian serial killers, it was proposed that these work
environments were the most preferred since they contained occupational elements
advantageous for their offending. Specifically, the freedom of movements—typically
through a vehicle—the lack of supervision, and the provision of solitude. Hence,
Canadian serial killers’ offending was shown to be influenced by a lesser-known
contemporary lifestyle factor: occupation. This thesis adds to the greatly under-developed
literature on serial killers’ occupational preferences and encourages further exploration
for both research and application.
