Disorganized offender

In criminology, a disorganized offender is a type of serial killer classified by unorganized and spontaneous acts of violence.

The distinction between "organized" and "disorganized" offenders was drawn by the American criminologist John Douglas and Roy Hazelwood.

Disorganized offenders often have an innate fear or anxiety towards people, especially strangers, and they tend to live in a complex delusion that they have constructed in their mind.

[4] Disorganized offenders do not venture far from their homes when committing murders, as they often lack consistent traveling methods (such as a car).

They do not plan out who their victims will be, it is merely situational; they are either chosen at random or are people they know personally, and physical characteristics may not play an important role.

[5] These individuals kill for the sole purpose of control and dominance, a trauma response to the abuse they faced at a younger age.

[5] Disorganized offenders are not used to frequent social interactions, and therefore it is crucial to not immediately jump into the crime scene investigation and interrogation.

[5] Taking an aggressive approach is not going to be successful in this scenario; trust is the key in this interaction and interviewers should aim to build a connection with the offender.