Berkowitz to BTK : a content analysis of serial killer coverage in the Chicago tribune and the Washington post

Abstract

This study examines the coverage of serial killers David Berkowitz, Richard Ramirez, and Dennis Lynn Rader in the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post. The 30-day period following the arrest of each killer was studied using a content analysis to identify whether the coverage focused on crime prevention, as suggested by the public health model. The study also sought to identify whether the themes of coverage changed over time. The content analysis indicated that there was a change in the themes of coverage over time, and that more attention was paid to the history of the case than to crime prevention.