It seems like serial killers were all over the place throughout the final few decades of the 20th century, with names like the Zodiac, the BTK Killer, and Ted Bundy being featured on the news and in magazines. And though you don’t hear about serial killers as much these days outside of a true crime show, it’s not like they’ve gone away. Instead, as Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer's Dr. Ann Burgess recently told CinemaBlend, the reality has morphed into something different.
I had a chance to speak with Dr. Burgess ahead of the release of Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer, a new Hulu docuseries about her work in the field of criminal psychology and the assessment and treatment of trauma and abuse victims. In addition to asking her about her biggest cases and the work that inspired David Fincher’s Mindhunter series, I also wanted to know more about her thoughts on a possible decrease in serial killers, to which she responded:
Well, I think we've seen not only a decrease if you just want to look at serial killers in general, but I think unfortunately it's morphed into a different type. The mass shooter has been something that's been much more in our more recent history. … I know that one of the interviews with one of our serial killers said that he was getting bored with just raping and he was really ready to move on. So the escalation issue is very important to look at, and that's why we have to get them early.
Near the end of the three-part docuseries, which is currently streaming for anyone with a Hulu subscription, Dr. Burgess is shown working with a group of researchers on a massive project to better understand mass shooters, their motivations, and ways to get people help before it’s too late. Addressing this research, Dr. Burgess commented:
There's a big push – we try to say – is to get prevention services in, to get people educated, clinicians educated, to be aware of some of the red flags, the warning signs so that we don't have them. But I do think that there has been a shift somewhat in the way crimes are committed.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 260+ mass shootings in the United States through early July 2024, a number that will unfortunately undoubtedly grow before the year is finished. So, research like that being conducted by Dr. Burgess and her team could be tremendously helpful in getting those numbers down as we continue to grapple with the issue.
Hopefully, something good comes from the research being conducted by Dr. Burgess and her team because I feel it is terrifying living life not knowing if the school where you send your kids, the church where you worship, or the grocery store where you shop will be the next target of a mass shooter.
You can see what Dr. Ann Burgess has to say about mass shootings, serial killers, trauma and abuse victims, and various other topics by watching Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer, one of the most engaging shows on the 2024 TV schedule.
