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  Serial homicide has rarely been examined from a global perspective, and empirical studies of serial homicide offenders worldwide are sparse. There is some evidence, however, that German serial homicide offenders differ from the serial killers in the United States. It was shown in a study on German serial homicide offenders that the offenders did not seem to have the same motive for each homicide, and robbery as a motive was as frequent as the sexual motive. Furthermore, the offenders had typically minimal to average intelligence, an emotionally abusive childhood, and a history of criminal behavior. The study also suggested that in Germany these offenders do not rearrange the crime scene, and they rarely leave behind a signature or take trophies.   Owing to the lack of research on European homicidal recidivists, the purpose of the present study was to investigate offense and offender characteristics among Finnish recidivistic homicide offenders. Because of the dissent r...