Popular culture has a rather strange effect on people. Of course, most of us realize that most films and television series are just works of fiction, and at the same time, we are convinced that crimes are solved thanks to fingerprints, serial killers are able to sort out a complicated criminal case better than investigative bodies, and illegal behavior can get away with a person as long as he is "on the side of good."
Personally, you may not fall for tricks invented by filmmakers, but not everyone is so smart and perspicacious, including, oddly enough, serial killers. The fact is that, thanks to popular culture, many people believe in fiction, which sometimes has nothing to do with reality.
1. Serial killers are distinguished by outstanding intelligence, on the verge of genius
In fact, recent research has shown that the average intelligence level of serial killers barely reaches what is described by the “below average” category. The authors of one such study formulated an even harsher conclusion: there is no correlation between intelligence and psychopathy.
2. Which state has the most serial killers? Most Americans would call Florida or California in response to this question
And in fact, surprisingly, this is Alaska. It is this northern state that ranks first with 15.65 serial murders per million population. It is followed by Nevada in the deplorable rankings, and only in third place is Florida. Criminologists have suggested that this phenomenon is due to the long winter nights in Alaska. In addition, the state's remote geographic location may also play a role.
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3. Boney and Clyde: legendary couple of bank robbers
In fact, these criminals mostly robbed grocery stores and gas stations. In the four years that the Barrow gang attacked banks, they committed fewer than fifteen such crimes, and the loot was usually quite modest. Moreover, many times Bonnie stayed at home and did not take part in the raids. In general, practice shows that it is much easier to rob an institution where the risk of bumping into armed guards is minimal and where it is easier to leave.
4. Chloroform can put a person to sleep in seconds
Nothing of the kind, in fact, in most cases this happens only after three or even five minutes. While chloroform has indeed been used in many crimes, it does not have an immediate effect. The substance does not work very soon, and the victim can have time to put up serious resistance. In real cases of murder, victims were usually tricked into taking anesthetics or narcotic drugs, and only then put to sleep with chloroform.
5. Most serial killers have experienced systematic childhood abuse
Oddly enough, during interrogations, more than 70 percent of serial killers did not mention any domestic violence at all. Of course, part of this can be explained by the fact that many simply did not want to admit that they had experienced childhood trauma. However, 70 percent is too high and completely debunks the popular stereotype. At the same time, many criminals willingly talked about how they wetted the bed in childhood, tortured animals and loved to arrange petty arson.
6. After arrest, a person may simply remain silent and the police should stop interrogating him
Yes, you really have the right to remain silent, but first you need to state this publicly. The rules established by the US Supreme Court dictate that the detainee must verbally demand that his rights be respected. In addition, he may declare that he does not intend to testify until he speaks with his lawyer.
7. Mental health disorders and gun violence go hand in hand
This is nothing more than a widespread misconception. Forensic psychiatric data show that only 4 percent of violent crimes involved mental disorders. However, most people think otherwise. The two most common factors that accompany violent gun crime are alcohol abuse and the stress of divorce or job loss.
At the same time, mental disorders have been associated with an increased risk of gun suicide. In any case, in the United States, most deaths from one's own bullet are associated with this disease.
8. Fingerprints found at the crime scene? Bingo! Crime solved
There is still no consensus on the effectiveness of fingerprint examination. The accuracy and methods of fingerprinting are being questioned by a large number of experts, and even entire countries. The statement that "there are no two identical fingerprints" has not yet been proven, and the error rate is quite high.
The fact is that fingerprinting cannot be considered an exact science and its results cannot be accepted as irrefutable evidence.
9. A pistol shot easily knocks a person down, and a bullet from a pump-action shotgun makes him fly across the room
If this were the case, the shooter would also have to fly, only in the opposite direction. This is known to everyone who studied at school, Newton's third law: each action corresponds to an equal reaction. In fact, the recoil from the shot is even more powerful, since the bullet loses some of its energy during flight due to aerodynamic drag, but the pistol does not.
In addition, bullets have a very small mass compared to the human body, so in principle they cannot have enough momentum to knock it down.
10. Traffickers are almost always men
Oddly enough, a significant portion of criminals specializing in the sale of human goods are women. This figure reaches 37 percent, which is much higher than in other categories of crimes. Typically, women and children are trapped by women because they are more credible. In addition, women are often used to recruit new members of the criminal trafficking networks.
11. The police are not allowed to enter your home without a warrant
If law enforcement agencies have reason to suspect you of violating the law, they can enter you without a warrant. Police officers have the right to enter houses if they believe that someone's life is in danger, if, in their opinion, there may be a suspect in the house they are looking for, or if they need to collect certain evidence, and at the same time there is the likelihood that they will be destroyed.
In addition, they have the right to enter the house if they believe that there may be a laboratory where dangerous drugs are manufactured, or they suspect that there is a child inside with serious injuries, possibly of a violent nature, or simply left without adult supervision. The same goes for pets.
12. Charles Manson and his sect were serial killers
In fact, this is not true. Serial homicide is defined by law as the willful killing of three or more people by the same criminal if there is a time gap between the killings. Manson was only an ideological inspirer and did not kill anyone himself, that is, he killed with someone else's hands. His supporters committed multiple murders, but without interruption, so the court recognized their crime as murder under aggravated circumstances.
13. Before reporting a missing person, you must wait 24 hours
You shouldn't do this because it might be too late. As many years of practice show, the most important are the first 48 hours. Some police stations may tell you that you need to wait, but even they say that the message must be recorded immediately when it comes to minors, the elderly, people with mental disorders, as well as in cases where there are suspicions that some -or a crime. Some of the above circumstances took place in connection with most of the serious cases of disappearances.
14. Do the police treat suspects rudely or even beat them in movies or TV series? It's okay, because these are the "good guys", they can, right?
Actually this is not true. A study of 26 detective television series showed that abuse of power is often portrayed as perfectly acceptable, normal, and sometimes just admirable practice, because this is what the heroes do. In reality, such actions are a colorful example of misconduct and lawlessness. In general, this is a rather dangerous misconception, since most people think that they are "good guys".