Is serial homicide really increasing?

Close examination of the available crime data reveals little scientific sup port for the widely held belief that serial homicide is frequent and increa sing. The author argues that the dramatic changes in homicide clearance rat es, incidence of murders with unknown motives, and victim gender data point to a likely increase, not in serial murder, but in contract murder. This t ype of killing appears to be having a significant impact on society; yet th ere has been a complete absence of forensic psychiatric study of this crime , a circumstance that needs to change.