Ripperology Flashcards
How does the use of primary, secondary and tertiary sources impact criminological research on Jack the Ripper?
Writers tend to primarily cite other books and papers who cited others and so on until the original true primary source has been replicated so many times that it has been distorted from fact to fiction
Something that was misinterpreted by the original author can be reproduced so many times it is taken as fact (like how Mary Kelly was not pregnant despite the number of books saying she was)
How do the media and police reports impact research and writings?
The tendency of writers to draw the bulk of their primary source materials from newspaper reports and later reminisces of police officers impacts the reputability of their research since they material was often unfounded or embellished
What is the problem with primary source material from the media?
Police were prohibited from communicating with the media and since there was no cooperation so journalists would follow them and witnesses they had talked to around to get information
This led to a lot of embellishment, faulty memories and made up stories for attention
Journalists would use what they could get to make up the most interesting sensationalized story to sell more papers
What is the problem with the primary source material from the police? (2)
Police records, when finally released in the 70s, have gaps because many were lost in WWII, taken home and lost by officers or destroyed
Police memoirs and later reminisces after they retire were based upon older faded and faulty memories that have deteriorated or been embellished over time
What is the problem with Criminological research on the Ripper in general?
In addition to unreliable sources, the fact is that the truth runs a very poor second to selling a pet theory
Ripperologists have a long history of dishonesty and fraud in favour of making money and selling a good story