In this engaging discussion, guest James Alan Fox, a renowned criminologist and author, delves into the shocking rise and sudden decline of serial killers in America. He explores historical trends, revealing how societal changes and technological advancements transformed criminal investigation. Fox contrasts the Hollywood portrayal of these criminals with their often mundane realities. He also discusses the evolution of DNA technology and its impact on solving cold cases, shedding light on the complex relationship between crime and changing cultural narratives.
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Accidental Expert
James Alan Fox became a serial killer expert unintentionally.
Media attention on his early research propelled him into the spotlight.
insights INSIGHT
Extraordinarily Ordinary
Real serial killers are often unassuming, unlike Hollywood's dramatic portrayals.
Their ordinariness makes them dangerous because victims don't suspect them.
insights INSIGHT
Opportunity Knocks
The "golden age" of serial killing (1970s-1990s) wasn't just about more killers.
Increased opportunities, like hitchhiking and the sexual revolution, played a role.
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The Silence of the Lambs, published in 1988, is a novel by Thomas Harris that follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she is assigned to capture the serial killer known as 'Buffalo Bill.' To gain insights into the case, Starling seeks the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant forensic psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. The novel explores the complex and manipulative relationship between Starling and Lecter as they navigate the dark and intricate world of serial killers. The story delves into themes of psychological profiling, trauma, and the cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and criminals. The novel is renowned for its detailed characterization and its impact on the thriller genre, and it has been adapted into a highly acclaimed film directed by Jonathan Demme[1][3][4].
In the first five decades of the 20th century, the number of serial killers in the U.S. remained at a very low level. But between the 1950s and 1960s, the number of serial killers tripled. Between the 1960s and 1970s, they tripled again. In the 1980s and 1990s, they kept rising. And then, just as suddenly as the serial killer emerged as an American phenomenon, he (and it really is mostly a he) nearly disappeared. What happened to the American serial killers? And what does this phenomenon say about American society, criminology, and technology?
Today's guest is James Alan Fox, the Lipman Family Professor of Criminology, Law, and Public Policy at Northeastern University. The author of 18 books, he has been publishing on this subject since before 1974, the year that the FBI coined the term "serial killer."
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Plain English with Derek Thompson 
