Serial murder has been a popular media phenomenon across the United States since the 1980s, and media representations of serial killers may significantly influence public opinion as well as impact capital punishment policies. This content analysis examined the portrayal of one dozen different serial killers using 120 online media reports which included articles published between the 1970s to present day. Results of the analysis showed serial killers were often sensationalized and portrayed in biased ways by popular media, with little attention afforded to academic theories. Support for capital punishment was also prevalent. These findings have implications for policy makers seeking to abolish capital punishment as well as law enforcement who may overlook killers that do not fit popular media stereotypes.
","abstract_html":"<p>Serial murder has been a popular media phenomenon across the United States since the 1980s, and media representations of serial killers may significantly influence public opinion as well as impact capital punishment policies. This content analysis examined the portrayal of one dozen different serial killers using 120 online media reports which included articles published between the 1970s to present day. Results of the analysis showed serial killers were often sensationalized and portrayed in biased ways by popular media, with little attention afforded to academic theories. Support for capital punishment was also prevalent. These findings have implications for policy makers seeking to abolish capital punishment as well as law enforcement who may overlook killers that do not fit popular media stereotypes. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Pace, April Nicole"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Justice Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:53Z","subjects":["Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2019 April Nicole Pace"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/637","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Pace, April Nicole"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Justice Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Criminology and Criminal Justice"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2019 April Nicole Pace"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/637"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Serial murder has been a popular media phenomenon across the United States since the 1980s, and media representations of serial killers may significantly influence public opinion as well as impact capital punishment policies. This content analysis examined the portrayal of one dozen different serial killers using 120 online media reports which included articles published between the 1970s to present day. Results of the analysis showed serial killers were often sensationalized and portrayed in biased ways by popular media, with little attention afforded to academic theories. Support for capital punishment was also prevalent. These findings have implications for policy makers seeking to abolish capital punishment as well as law enforcement who may overlook killers that do not fit popular media stereotypes.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/PDF"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Serial killers in popular media: A content analysis of sensationalism and support for capital punishment"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Pace, April Nicole"],"dc:description.abstract":["Serial murder has been a popular media phenomenon across the United States since the 1980s, and media representations of serial killers may significantly influence public opinion as well as impact capital punishment policies. This content analysis examined the portrayal of one dozen different serial killers using 120 online media reports which included articles published between the 1970s to present day. Results of the analysis showed serial killers were often sensationalized and portrayed in biased ways by popular media, with little attention afforded to academic theories. Support for capital punishment was also prevalent. These findings have implications for policy makers seeking to abolish capital punishment as well as law enforcement who may overlook killers that do not fit popular media stereotypes.
"],"dc:format":["application/PDF"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/637"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2019 April Nicole Pace"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"dc:title":["Serial killers in popular media: A content analysis of sensationalism and support for capital punishment"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Justice Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:53Z"}