Question

39% of female serial killers were nurses or health care workers.

Answer 1

This seems to be true as the article uses evidence from the past and say that women of more to have their victims be in a vulnerable state and easier targets. 

Here in this article similar to the source provided, News Medical Life Sciences states, “Women are more likely to target somebody familiar to them and are more than twice as likely to have murdered a spouse or partner. They tend to target the vulnerable -; elderly people, ill people or children.”

That they have more of a financial gain than how men of more finding sexual gains from their victims. In this source, they also state how 39% of women in the medical field are likely to be serial killers as they are familiar with the victim. “Most likely she murders via poisoning or asphyxiation, and those methods would mimic natural death to people who aren't really suspecting her.”

With that quote above, we see what tactics are being used and how they’ll be least expected to do such a horrendous crime.

Source:

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230209/Understanding-the-minds-of-female-serial-killers.aspx#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20we%20found%20that,the%20ill%20and%20the%20elderly.

Comments

I enjoy your reasoning and concluding as you do not definitely state whether or not it is true but rather it may possibly be true based on your findings. Well done.

---

The sources that you chose were very well selected. Not one but two extremely reliable sources, and you did a great job explaining! Good Job!

---

Good job commenting your sources and reasoning for why this claim was true. However, I would love to see a more in-depth dive on the source who said this, Dr. Marissa A. Harrison, and what makes her a credible source. Like how she has a Ph.D. Biopsychology (specialization Evolutionary Psychology) from University at Albany. Or how she conducted her research to come to this conclusion. For example her book included 27 case studies, what do those case studies look like and how did she find that 39%. Here are other good sources about Dr. Harrison: https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/just-deadly-inside-mind-female-serial-killer/
https://harrisburg.psu.edu/faculty-and-staff/marissa-harrison-phd

---

While the study done by Marissa Harrison is based of off 27 cases and done in what I assume was a ethical manor the fact is that 27 case studies is not a big enough sample size to come to the conclusion that 39% of a female serial killers were nurses or healthcare workers. According to Gitnux there are 400 reported cases of female serieal killers. Gitnux according to Crunchbase, which is a reliable validity checker when it comes to websites, says that "Gitnux is a cross-website where discerning readers can find quality information of different products in our articles. Our goal is to thoroughly examine the various aspects of a given product and present that content clearly to consumers. The purpose is for consumers to be accurately informed about the different products or services that they can find on the Internet and to make the best possible purchase". So in the end I feel like even though the source is reliable in terms of Dr. Harrison being a legit researcher the study in this case raises red flags for me just based on the fact of how few cases she studied.

---

This was really interesting to me, and your fact check was well done! Your use of sources doesn't bombard the reader, and rather than showing opinion, you wrote on the facts and statistics of the situation. Well done!

Answer 2

This claim is true. According to a Q&A with Marissa Harrison, an associate professor at Penn State Harrisburg, many people underestimate a woman's ability to do harm, especially to serial kill. Harrison researched 27 case studies which led to her conclusion in her book that 39% of female serial killers were nurses or healthcare workers. This was the claim made in the link provided above. The Q&A explores the differences between male and female serial killers, including different motives.

Comments

This is a good find. Although the person being interviewed for the Q&A is the same person referenced in the original Daily Mail article, it's important to see that multiple sources have recorded Harrison saying this.

---

Hello, I think you did an effective job identifying the claim and deeming it as true. It is important to be able to have a reputable source, which you highlight (Marissa Harrison). Additionally, you describe demonstrations of her findings. I think that to improve your evaluation you should include supplementary resources that support your claim that "many people underestimate a woman's ability to do harm".

Answer 3

Yes, this claim is true. According to the studyfinds.org, Dr. Marissa Harrison states that

 

“She is probably employed legally, perhaps in health care or a related field. We found that 39% of female serial killers were nurses or health care workers. They might have a history of abuse or a recent crisis. And at least one murder will occur in a suburban area.”

 

Dr. Marissa Harrison wrote a book named “Just as Deadly: The Psychology of Female Serial Killers”, which analyzes the behaviors and psychology of female serial killers. Even though some of the famous serial killers are known as male serial killers, the reason why female serial killers are not fully noticed can be explained by another quote from Dr. Harrison. “The FBI did not recognize female serial killers until the 1990s,” Dr. Harrison says. “But there are well-known women who murdered far more victims than men did.”

 

Female serial killers typically motivated by money, chilling research reveals - Study Finds

 

 

Comments

Background information on Dr. Marissa Harrison and her work is great credibility to her claims and knowledge. Good job!

Answer 4

This claim is true. According to associate professor Marissa Harrison at Penn State, "we found that 39% of female serial killers were nurses or health care workers." Additionally, the article states that the victims were typically vulnerable individuals such as "children, the ill and the elderly."

Source:

https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/just-deadly-inside-mind-female-serial-killer/

Answer 5

This is true, I found the Q and A interview from Pennstate.edu where Dr. Harrison. She explained explicitly on this topic when asked can Dr Harriosn provide a snapshot of a female serial killer. "She is probably employed legally, perhaps in health care or a related field. In fact, we found that 39% of female serial killers were nurses or healthcare workers. "

This makes it credible because this was a sit-down Q and A with  the Harrison and those are her words exactly when it comes to a Q &A

https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/just-deadly-inside-mind-female-serial-killer/#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20we%20found%20that,the%20ill%20and%20the%20elderly.

Answer 6

This claim is true, but where did it originate from? A Pennsylvania State University article highlights Marissa A. Harrison, author of Just as Deadly: The Psychology of Female Serial Killers. This book includes 27 case studies, which makes it quite credible. In the interview with Penn State journalist, Francisco Tutella, Harrison mentions the statistic of this claim. When asked to describe the typical female serial killer she states the following, "My colleagues and I came up with a composite based on statistics. She’s probably white, married at least once, maybe multiple times. She’s probably in her 20s or 30s, likely middle class, a Christian, displays at least average intelligence and has average or above average attractiveness. She is probably employed legally, perhaps in health care or a related field. In fact, we found that 39% of female serial killers were nurses or health care workers" (Harrison). This suggests that it was borrowed from a case study and went through the process of publishing where many people had to view this data and verify it.

https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/just-deadly-inside-mind-female-serial-killer/#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20we%20found%20that,the%20ill%20and%20the%20elderly.

Comments

Really good job on formatting your fact check. The source citing and the bold text helps to make your check appear formal and well put together which is always important when conveying a message.

Answer 7

This is a correct statement. This quote from Marissa Harrison, associate professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg, sums up this staggering percentage and the motives behind it, stating that "women are more likely to target somebody familiar to them and are more than twice as likely to have murdered a spouse or partner. They tend to target the vulnerable -; elderly people, ill people or children."

Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230209/Understanding-the-minds-of-female-serial-killers.aspx