The great Victorian mystery. A forensic analysis of Jack the Ripper case in the context of mistakes made during the investigation

Abstract

Despite 128 years, the case of Jack the Ripper’s murders is still fascinating and tempting new generations of investigators willing to solve its mystery. However, from practical point of view it seems to be more important not to find a real Ripper, but rather take a glimpse into what the investigation looked like and where the mistakes were made. A brief review of the investigation leads to a conclusion that many of the mistakes made over 100 years ago still appear when it comes to an investigative process, such as improper selection of evidence at the crime scene or taking political tendencies under consideration rather than searching for the truth. The case shows that a man is the most important part of the investigation, and modern technology can only suport it, but it will never replace a human intellect and its ability to think in a logic way.