In 1988, psychologist John Norris proposed, based on 500 interviews, that serial killers pass through seven psychological phases. As the kinetic (physical) world and the cyber world increasingly entwine like ivy, many activities shift into cyberspace. This makes it harder to detect early phases of potential criminal inclination.
So, according to this work, what phases do serial killers go through?
1- Aura Phase
In the Aura Phase the individual begins to put distance between themselves and social relationships. A disconnection from reality begins to some degree. Sometimes this proceeds so insidiously that family and friends do not notice, and it continues for an indeterminate short or long period. Fantastical thoughts begin to gain weight. In most cases these thoughts manifest as violently sexual fantasies or other violent fantasies. Also, during this process substance use or alcohol use may intensify.
2- Trolling Phase
This phase generally involves the person searching for a victim and mentally shaping the victim-space. Usually in this phase serial killers look for victims in places they know, are familiar with, or where they feel comfortable. There is also a tendency to determine the location(s) in which they will commit the crime, perhaps also where they will deal with the body. That search may take days or even months until the “right candidate” is found. During the search the killer may use certain patterns to follow or observe (track) the victim.
3- Flirtation Phase
In the Flirtation Phase, the killer focuses on winning the trust of their victim. This phase is usually used by more daring, planned, socially developed killers. The killer tries to socialize with the victim. Once trust is established, the killer leads the victim to a quiet, pre-planned place and takes action.
4- Capture Phase
As the name implies, this is the phase in which the killer reveals their true intent. In the Capture Phase, the methods used may be chosen in such a way that the killer can derive more enjoyment from the act than would be purely about completing the act itself.
5- Murder Phase
At this point the killer is actually performing a kind of ritual. Sometimes it ends with a sudden death; other times it is accompanied by prolonged torture and necrophilia. Particularly for sadistic killers, torture before killing and sexual acts afterward are common rituals. Organized killers are generally more inclined to adopt longer torture and death processes. The killer may derive more pleasure not from the killing itself but from the torture beforehand or the sexual interaction afterward. In this process they may use different torture tools, such as applying electric currents to the body. Once the torture ritual is completed, the killer finally kills the victim.
6- Totem Phase
In this phase after the murder and other acts, the killer experiences a great drop. It’s a kind of awakening from fantasy. In fact, these ups and downs are said to be an important driving force in the killer’s development of ritual. At this point taking mementos from the victim is common. Use of keepsakes such as clothing, a piece of the body, photograph, video, or jewelry is prevalent. The purpose of these souvenirs is to remember and relive the moment of murder and ritual repeatedly, in order to recover from the emotional drop.
7- Depression Phase
In this last phase the killer tends toward deciding on the next murder. Because the killer experiences a huge emotional collapse. This collapse can take days, weeks, or even months.
Sometimes the killer compares the way they committed the crime with murders in television movies. They feel dissatisfaction. The Depression Phase can be so severe that sometimes the killer may not even feel able to commit suicide. But after a while, the killer returns to the fantasy world and begins the next murder process. This motion leads each time toward making the killer more savage and more professional. It may create a need to improve the rituals. The process continues until they are caught or commit suicide. Serial killing becomes, in a way, an addiction.
What is its Relation with the Cyber World?
With the internet and cyber world, diagnosing the potential for serial killer behavior in the early phase has become even more difficult. For example, detachment from reality, problems in social relationships, and various kinds of addiction are much harder to notice. They might be mistaken for internet addiction. Also, a killer who has moved into the Trolling Phase may shift their victim-search from familiar known circles into the cyber world. That makes mundane oversight and detection of suspicious tracking patterns far more impossible than in our kinetic life. The killer can carry the process of winning the victim’s trust into the internet, making it much more effective and easier than in the real world. On the victim’s side, control is much less than it would be in real life. Thus the killer gains great advantage both in detection evasion and in engagement.
In the Capture Phase, aided by the trust built in the cyber world and various communication possibilities, a more quiet and stealthy behavior model can develop, again making detection harder. On the other hand, in some cases killers have actually been caught by simple mistakes like running a red light in the street or speeding.
The inclusion of cyber capabilities within these phases may result in killers staying more in computer and internet world after murder-phase rather than going outside. In summary, for both killers and those combating crime, increasing cyber world capabilities is important. Because technology and cyber life may even help in detection of potential before the crime. Internet activities, the websites visited, operations, methods of communication can be supportive elements in profiling potentials.
Is cybersecurity solely a struggle dominated by hacking, or does it also encompass crimes committed in kinetic life?
This is an important question to truly reflect on, and if necessary — and it is necessary — to enhance and expand cybersecurity operations according to an appropriate perspective.