Final answer:
Serial killers commit crimes over time with cooling-off periods and often have a distinctive M.O., whereas spree killers commit multiple murders in a short time without breaks. Geographic profiling can predict serial criminal behavior by analyzing spatial patterns, helping to understand the criminal's operational distance from their home.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main distinction between serial killers and spree killers lies in the pattern and timing of their criminal activities. Serial killers commit their crimes over a period of time with significant breaks between each murder, often characterized by a specific modus operandi or M.O. In contrast, spree killers commit multiple murders in a short time span without a cooling-off period. Geographic profiling, which includes techniques like Rossmo's Formula and the analysis of spatial patterns using GIS, can help in predicting the behavior of serial criminals. In the case of serial offenses, such as those committed by the so-called Hollywood Arsonist, this method has demonstrated that criminals often exhibit behavior consistent with geographical theories - committing crimes at a certain distance from their home, while avoiding areas too close to their personal locus of activity for fear of recognition.