What We Can Learn from Jack the Ripper

The murders in London in 1888, attributed to Jack the Ripper, were bloody and bizarre. The Ripper tour the students and I took, graphically narrated by our guide, was stomach turning. The murders involved not only the slashing of several women’s throats but also the removal of their internal organs, including their uteruses. These grisly murders drew widespread public attention (and continue to fascinate people today). Why were such horrific crimes the subject of so much interest? The brutality of the crimes understandably drew Londoners’ attention at the time, particularly because some or all appeared to be the acts of one person, a serial killer. With the murders unsolved, people were understandably afraid that more would occur and that they or others could become victims. The ongoing mystery about the identity of the perpetrator and his motives also generated interest. Even Queen Victoria got into the act, offering royal advice to the police. There was also a darker side to the public’s interest, fueled by forces still present today. First, the crimes were a major media event. Newspaper coverage, in the form of daily, shocking headlines about the murders, was unrelenting and stoked fears. The coverage was also exaggerated and misleading, going beyond the available evidence to speculate about the crimes and possible perpetrators. One scholar has observed that the coverage represented a new style of reporting, characterized by an emphasis on sensation and themes to attract readers. See Darren Oldridge, Casting the spell of terror: the press and the early [...]