The case of Joseph Vacher was as well-known, more deadly, and even compared to, the murders committed by “Jack the Ripper” so much so that Vacher even screamed that he was “Joseph the Ripper”. This murder, whose identity was unknown at the time, left a trail of terror where ever he went, his capture became a career making opportunity for the investigating magistrates. After Vacher was captured a new branch of criminal interrogation was used to try to incriminate him in the murders that it was believed he had done. The major breakthrough in criminology came in the form of the methods that lead to his capture and identification.
The magistrates all over France were searching for “Jack the Ripper of the Southeast”, the first notable magistrate was notified of “the murder of the little shepherd”. This crime is what proved to be Vacher’s downfall, as it resulted in a pattern being formed of the many murders that he had committed. The connection was first made by the investigating magistrate, Émile Fourquet, of the town of Belley. Vacher had committed a murder in the town some two years earlier, the connection was made by the similarities to the way the two victims were killed. The help of other magistrates was needed in order to gather information to connect the two murders, this is when the Magistrate of Dijon, Louis-Albert Fonfréde, who sent over seven other murders that shared many of the same elements.
This is when the belief that one killer could be responsible for the deaths of eight different people, that they know of, all across France. The Magistrate who jurisdiction over the Laurent Case, Alphonse Benoist of Lyon, noticed similarities as well and using the resources of a reporter was able to gain a common element in many of...
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...this entire process of the magistrate attempting to lure him to his own doom, Vacher was attempting to convince the case that he was insane and therefore had no control over his actions.
Through out Vacher’s travels across the French Country side he was implicated to the murder of at least eight different people. While the belief that he may have been behind the many deaths of many others is still alive today, that truth may have died with him. While the processes used in investigation will continue to evolve in response to the changes in the way criminals commit their crimes, we must remember that to stop crime we should stop the reasons for their existence. The use of reasoning and questioning to bring about the desired result had equal, and fairer, manner of bring about the confession of a criminal gives me hope that from violence we can become a better society.
This article gives some examples of crimes and how they were solved using a psychology technique along with how criminal profiling is used to solve crimes and how the profilers know how to slim down the suspects. In the first case, there was a man that planted bombs in multiple places each time writing a note in block letters- signing it F.P. The first bomb was found in 1940, in 1954 he struck four times, and in 1955 five times. In
On a tedious Thursday afternoon, the body of an extrusive racketeer named Fannin was found at Ernie’s Lunchroom by police officers. A testimony of the only witness, the proprietor and the only employee, Ernie has said “The murderer had leaned against the wall while firing at point-blank range”. There is also one imprint of the supposed homicidal murderer on one of the walls and the cash register had just been rung up at $8.75. The police believe that person C is the murderer from the hand position of the utensils/hand positions, the relation among persons B, D, and E, and the identification of the Y and X footprints. The victim of this heinous crime is also controversial and the media are portraying Fannin as a criminal due to his reputation of racketeering. Maybe Fannin did deserve what came to him but still the public ought to know the real culprit without no prejudices from the media.
Schechter, Harold. The serial killer files: the who, what, where, how, and why of the world's most terrifying murderers. New York: Ballantine Books, 2004. Print.
Javert, born in jail, saw himself as an ostracized adolescent with but two paths open to him. He could choose either to be a policeman or a criminal. He chose to be on the right side of the law. Valjean, a peasant, spent time in jail as a young man and came out of it hating society. He believed himself to be apart from it, and chose to live in hatred and crime. Fortunately, the action of a kindly old bishop prevented him from wasting the rest of his life. Valjean switched to tread the path of life on a more morally upright road. He became mayor, protector of society.
In Walt Harrington’s True Detective, the article centers on the character Victor Smith, better known as V.I., who is a detective who investigates cases of homicide. This article was effective in allowing the readers to understand the perspective of a homicide detective and the many cases they undergo. However, it was difficult to find a connection with this article, because I have no experience with homicide or murder cases apart from what I have seen from the media and TV shows. I was still able to enjoy True Detective, as it described the daily lives of the detectives from Homicide North.
Although the hands of up to 200 people carried out the murder, the event was an isolated act of violence that Corbin argues was a political act rather than just a criminal act. The role of local rumors created by the rural bourgeoisie who were attempting to maintain certain rights resulted in the peasantry gaining a strong anti-nobility ideology. These rumors, paired with the peasantry’s fierce loyalty towards their emperor, caused the peasantry of Hautefaye to attempt to murder a politically outspoken noble in order to take their future into their own hands. Corbin suggests that what makes the murder of Monéy distinguishable from other acts of violence, was that the event was past the French period where such violence was common, as well as it was unusual for the crime to take place at the time of day that it did. Ultimately, the amount of heavy issues weighing on the minds of the peasantry at a time when France was in such turmoil, it’s logical that a surge of violence occurred within the town of
...wn, Natalie Davis made up a tale of what happened, ignoring the actual story that had been recorded by one of the lead characters who was there at the time, Jean de Coras. While her points had good merit, there was little evidence besides her opinion and suspicion that backed her up. Bertrande de Rols was deceived by this man, just as everyone else was. Whether she enjoyed her time spent with Arnaud is not important, it is whether or not she was fooled. While there were many who were suspicious, and many who were uncertain of Bertrande’s innocence, there was not a majority that truly believed she was a co-conspirator. She was not proven guilty by Jean de Coras nor was no proven guilty by the townspeople. The townspeople had fallen for Arnaud’s acting, and it is certain that Bertrande had fallen for it as well. And as each of these people would say, Arnaud was a wonderful actor, who was educated in Martin’s life and the people within it. Stories such as these are reminders as to why history is not always objective, and that historians have the right to interpret it in any way that they choose. However, a good historian will always have his critic.
Hugo’s social commentary focuses on three main concepts that he believes must be reformed in the French society: criminal justice, education and the treatment of women. By showing the unreasonable punishments both Valjean and Fantine shows how the social structure has turned innocent and good people into criminals.
I wanted to look at the investigative and criminal procedures following the arrest of an alleged criminal and the powerful effects via testimonies and evidence (or lack thereof) it can have on a case.There is an importance of the courts in regards to crime that can’t be over looked. The primary function of the criminal justice system is to uphold the established laws, which define what we understand as deviant in this society.
Fascination with murder and murderers is not new, but researchers in recent years have made great strides in determining the characteristics of criminals. Looking back, we can see how naïve early experts were in their evaluations; in 1911, for example, Italian crimin...
It is nine in the morning, Professor Chagnon informs me of the information and data we hope to collect today, the three main forms of violence that accrue in and out side of each village, “chest pounding, side slapping and club fights” (Chagnon, 118) Professor Chagnon instructs me to follow him with the camera and film equipment. The Professor stops as he watch’s two men pounding each others chests, I begin preparing my camera to talk a photo when a friend of Professor Chagnon come’s over to say hello Professor Chagnon greets his friend an introduces me, Professor Chagnon as his friends what ...
...her was insane or just a criminal. This question was answered by his examination and a notebook given to Vacher to fill out, in an attempt to see any sign of regret which was a sign of someone without any control over their actions. The consensus was that Vacher was in fact not insane and did deserve to be held responsible for his actions, as a result he was executed.
As far back as 1832, James Marsh was the first to use forensics at trial to give evidence as a chemist in 1832. Since that time forensic science and evidence has come a long way in various ways and technology to help in determine if the suspect is guilt or not, through such things as DNA testing, blood, and fingerprints. The first forensic police crime lab was created in 1910. The contributions of Dr. Edmond Locard, a French scientist and criminologist, proposed that “everything leaves a trace”. This principle is still valid today as it was so many years ago. No matter how small, the specialized trained technicians and investigators can take these methods and go to a crime scene to get evidence. “Forensic science is the application of sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer science and engineering to matters of law.” (Office of Justice, 2017) These different sciences can help achieve and assist in solving a case. Forensic science has also the ability to prove that a crime was committed, it can find the elements of the crime, it can help place the suspect at the scene and whether the suspect had any contact with the victim. However, in the last several years the techniques and with the use of technology the evidence that forensic science uncovers can also exonerate an innocent individual who has been falsely accused of the
Just as insight into the mind of the artist may be gained by examining and comparing the progression of his work, so knowledge of the mind of the serial killer can be ascertained by an examination of his canvas: The murder scene. Forensic profiling is the attempt to do just that. An investigator tries to discern information about the killer based on the information at the crime scene, deducing information about the cause from the effect. This is not an exact science, and has been often likened to an art. It is the goal of this work to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the function and application of forensic psychology, as well as an explication of some of its strengths and weaknesses.
Since he cares little for the affairs of the world, claiming they do not mean anything, then justice—a major concern of the world—also means nothing to him. His actions both before and after his decision to kill a man without provocation demonstrate his apathetic view of the world, and his indifference to justice. Therefore Meursault’s search for justice, culminated by the court’s decision to execute him, remains an example to all of the inability of society to instill justice in criminals. Meursault’s perpetual refusal to acquire a sense of morality and emotion instigates skepticism in all who learn of his story of society’s true ability to instill justice in the