Violent Crimes: Murder, Assault, and Robbery

Violent Crimes THEME 4  Murder Assault Multiple Murders Common Assault Serial murder Assault with intent to inflict Mass Murder GBH Spr...

Violent Crimes THEME 4  Murder Assault Multiple Murders Common Assault Serial murder Assault with intent to inflict Mass Murder GBH Spree Murder Contract/Hired Killings Muti Murder Farm Murder Violent crimes Robbery Robbery Commercial vs Non- commercial Robbery House/Business Robbery Rape and sexual Vehicle Hijacking violence ATM Bombings Cash-in-transit Heists Bank Robbery  Violence can be defined as The infliction or causation of physical, Application of force or Which may result in sexual and/or coercion criminal or civil liability psychological harm Violent Crimes Violent crimes can include the following elements of threats, actual actions or attempts of: Damage to Physical The use of Force Violence another Death injury a weapon person  Upon completion of this unit, the learner should be able to: Provide a comprehensive understanding of all types and sub- types of violent crimes Theme 4 Provide definitions for murder, assault and robbery (including the sub-types under each crime) Outcomes Distinguish between the different types of murder Discuss assault and the different elements under it Define robbery and the different crimes under commercial and non-commercial robbery Murder Unit 4.1 Murder (can also be referred to as homicide) The South African law describes murder as: the unlawful, premeditated Deliberate or intentional killing (ending life) of one human being by another  The following elements must be present to convict a person for murder: Unlawfulness: Killing: Person: Intent: The killing must be All forms of killing Committed against a The form of unlawful are prohibited living, breathing culpability that is If there are grounds Direct application human being at the required for murder for justification, the of force: shooting, time of the fatal is intent. person may not be stabbing, beating action occurs The unlawful found guilty of or poisoning negligent or murder, for example May also be non- accidental causing of self-defence direct: Causes the another person's victim to suffer a death (intent is heart attack or absent) is classified drive the person to as culpable homicide commit suicide Sub-types of murder within South Africa Multiple Murders Serial Murder Spree Murder Mass Murder No cooling off period, Premeditated, specific Share characteristics a person, government characteristics, of a serial killer, no or group can commit cooling off period cooling off period this crime Individual (or Planned killing of Killing four or more individuals) kills two three or more people people at a single or more victims in in two or more location separate events locations Multiple Murders Multiple murders consist of serial, mass and spree killings Numerous movies, television shows, novels and documentaries have dealt with this topic over the decades Criminal minds, Hannibal, Bates Motel, Prodigal Son, Dexter, The Alienist and much more It is one of the most sensationalised subject in criminology, many students want to study violent crimes with regards to profiling, the violent offender's behaviour and why the committed the crime.  Definition: The killing of multiple victims over a period of time ranging from days to weeks, months, years or even decades. According to the FBI, in order for it to constitute as ‘serial’ killings, the perpetrator needs to kill two or more people in separate events The time interval between killings (referred to as a cooling off period) may be days, weeks or years (Bartol & Bartol, 2014:380) Serial Murder The murders are often premeditated, and the offender usually selects victims with certain characteristics such as a certain age, eye/hair colour or occupation. The fantasy element is an essential element that differentiates serial killers from the other types of murders. It plays an integral role in the murder, the more they murder, the more they live in a progressively intensifying loop of fantasy Their fantasy leads them to commit the murder, the murder is only temporarily satisfied by partially fulfilling their fantasy and then they commit a murder all over again, essentially a loop. Serial murders go to extreme lengths to avoid detection and apprehension Serial Murder Organised murders Highly intelligent Charismatic are more likely to Socially competent Sexually capable possess the following Often lives with a partner and/or family Controlled emotions during the crime characteristics: Disorganised murders Below-average intelligence Socially immature are likely to possess Seldom dates Often lives alone the following Uncontrolled emotion during the crimes (such as rage and/or anxiety) characteristics: Serial Killers Serial Killers: Ted Bundy Moses Sithole Moses Sithole, considered one of Theodore Robert Bundy, more South Africa's deadliest serial commonly known as "Ted", was killers, was found guilty of 38 one of the most prolific serial murders and 40 rapes in 1997. killers in the USA. He confessed to 36 murders, but nobody really knows how many had been https://www.biography.com/crime committed or when he began his -figure/moses-sithole legacy of horror; the true total could be higher. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=xhMi8tx62f4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =3VfrwL_mRMU Mass Murder Definition: The killing of four or more victims in a single episode or during one event, within a few moments or hours by one or more perpetrators There is no cooling off period between murders Mass murders are often triggered by a stressful event in their lives, such as a divorce losing a job or loved one Mass murders are usually carefully planned, sometimes even over extended periods of time More often than not socially isolated individuals who are withdrawn and are without a social network of friends and support Their killings are deliberate and often symbolic of their discontent Mass Murder Classic Mass Individual barricades themselves inside or walks into a public building Randomly killing any individuals, he/she encounters Murder Although the victims may be chosen at random, they are often perceived by the perpetrator to belong to a certain group or to be a representative of that said group Family Mass When an individual kills at least three or four of his/her family members Perpetrator often kills himself/herself after committing the Murder offence Kills due to warped sense of love and/or loyalty which stems from the desire to save their loved ones Mass Murders Mass Murders: Columbine Killers, Virginia Tech killings, Bastille Day 2016 Nice truck attack, Jonestown Massacre Spree Murder Definition: A single person who kills three or more victims within hours in two or more different locations with no cooling off period It is arguable that spree murder can be more of a subtype of serial murder as it shares similar characteristics (multiple murders in different locations) Difference: Serial murder has a cooling off period where spree murder does not These types of perpetrators are often agitated, make little to no effort to avoid detection (often speaking out online) and are prone to committing suicide These perpetrators kill randomly with little to no similarities between victims Spree Murders Spree Killers: Bulelani Vukwana, Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, Brenton Harrison Tarrant (Christchurch mosque shootings) Contract/Hired Killings Definition: A form of murder whereby one party hires another party to kill someone or a group of people It involves an agreement between two individuals in which a hitman agrees to kill on behalf of a person who hires them. The aim is to kill a specific person or group of people for monetary gain. Contract killings provides the “employing” individual the advantage of not being directly involved with the action. This makes it more difficult for investigators to connect the “brain” behind the crime with the murder. Three parties are involved in contract killings (Bezuidenhout, 2011:195): ◦ The primary offender who initiates the murder plot (the employer) ◦ The third-party individual (the contact killer/hitman/employee) ◦ The victim/s Muti Murder Derived from the Zulu word umuthi meaning root, plant, medicine or tree. Muti murder is loosely defined as a murder where the intention is to gather or harvest human body parts for the use in traditional African medicine for different specialised reasons. When a muti killing occurs, a violent crime is implicated. A traditional healer, known as a sangoma, uses traditional medicines but relies primarily on communicating with ancestors for healing powers or purposes Sangomas will use bones or organs in preparation of a concoction Generally, the body parts are taken from the victims while they are still alive, as it is believed that powerful medicine cannot be made from the flesh of a human who is already dead Human body parts are considered to be more powerful than the usual ingredients or methods as it contains the person's spirit Farm Murders South African common law does not define ‘farm murder’ and ‘farm attack’ as a specific crime category This concept is referred to as a number of different crimes committed against a person who resides on a farm or small holding Attacks may be aimed at the person of residence, workers and visitors with the intent to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm. Farm attacks refer to all criminally inclined attacks on the farming community Although farm attacks and murder happen globally, in South Africa farm murders are estimated to be 700% higher than any other country Most farm attacks are extremely violent and includes a form of torture which most likely results in the victims being murdered before the offender's escape Assessment 2 Date: 25 April 2025 Venue: Computer labs (on campus) Time will be allocated per student surname Thank you