Serial Killers: A Research Paper

Serial murder is one of the most baffling crimes that occur in the U.S. and all over the world. Knight (2006) defines serial murder as the killing of three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a significant cooling-off period. The cooling off period may be weeks, months or even years long. Researchers have proposed various psychological, biological and sociological theories that offer a partial understanding of the nature of serial murder. Some propose that the basis for criminal behavior is a predisposition to violence as well as a mix between environment, personality traits and biological factors. Serial killers are predominantly male. Only 3 percent of serial murders are committed by women (U.S. News and World Report,

This essay aims to examine weather serial killers are born a certain way and their genetics define their psychotic tendencies or whether they're a product of a bad environment that they grew up. This essay looks at recent killings in the late 20th century as there is more information on the killers from this period and it's easier to gain details about their childhoods. Whilst I will look at various different killers to reach more rounded conclusions (see appendix for comparison table), this essay will focus on four in detail to examine the debate; Ted Bundy (1946-89), Jeffery Dahmer (1960-1994), John Wayne Gacy (1942-1994) and Gary Ridgway (1949-present).

This journal is written 3 authors: Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida and received his doctorate from the University of Cincinnati, Steven T. Holmes. Dean of the California School of Forensic Studies at Alliant International University, Eric W. Hickey, Ph.D. and Emeritus Professor in the Department of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville, Ronald M. Holmes, M.A. They constructed different types of females who are serial killers and discussed homicidal behavioral traits. It begins with differentiating

Several serial killers have a definitive and common personality profile. Almost every major social, biological, psychological behavioural influence that has been seriously suggested as playing a role in causing crime has been thoroughly thought as potentially

This literature review focuses on serial killers from a psychological viewpoint while trying to answer the question, “Are serial killers born to kill or are they bred to kill?” Firstly, this review will define a serial killer and the different kinds of killers, then it will take a look at different case studies of children who fantasized about mass killing and identify similarities between the cases attempt to find a way to possibly prevent their fantasies from becoming reality. The debate of nature vs. nurture is also discussed as psychologists and researchers come to the conclusion that environmental factors play a bigger role in the developmental character of a person than genetics, but there is still no definite answer as to why some individuals grow up with the urge to murder other people and/or animals.

This serial killer was chosen because this serial killing pair is the most infamous English serial killers duo in the 1990s. Fred and Rosemary West were not convicted of all the murders they participated in; however, they were sentenced to life imprisonment. Also, this case is interesting because Rosemary West, to this day, does not claim to know anything about the murders even though she has victims that survived her attacks and have spoken against her in court.

Brogaard, Berit. "The Making of a Serial Killer." Psychology Today. Sussex Directories, Inc., 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 03 May 2014.

2. The FBI is involved in a serial murder cases. This myth can be attributed to television and the many shows that air showing the FBI and their specialized division, the Behavioral Analysis Unit, helping to solve serial murder cases. In truth,

Tommy entered the house, it was quiet, and he went to the kitchen to get a snack. Tommy dropped his plate causing a loud clattering noise, waking his mother. Tommy’s mom was furious, walked around the corner and started beating Tommy for waking her. As she was beating him a man came around the corner to stop her. It was Tommy’s dad. In a blind rage, Tommy’s mom grabbed the gun from the kitchen drawer; the one she used to threaten Tommy for all his wrong doings and shot Tommy’s father. Tommy’s experiences of regular, yet unpredictable beatings ending with a traumatic death experience forever changed Tommy’s life. After a traumatic experience, a chemical imbalance in the brain occurs; leaving this untreated can cause someone to become a serial killer. Traumatic life experiences, abuse, and an inability to have healthy coping strategies can lead to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Abuse, trauma, and poor coping skills combined can lead to the creation of a killer. Criminologists have identified several common life experiences that convicted serial killer have had in common. One identified experience shared by convicted serial killers is the witnessing a murder or death. Another is experiencing abuse from a young age. The kind of is not as significant a factor, but many serial killers reported higher incidences of sexual and emotional abuse. Abuse combined with a significant traumatic experience has been determined to cause a chemical imbalance in the brain. Another

Serial killers have been identified by Hickey & Simon, 2002, as a Caucasian male between the ages of 20 and 39 years old. There personalities exhibit psychopathic behaviors, pleasure seeking outlook on life as well as lack of morality when they do something that is violent (Hickey & Simons, 2002). The upbringing of serial killers is steady with these characteristics. Serial killers

In recent discussions of serial killers, a controversial issue has been whether they were born being the killer that they are or if it is impacted by the way that they grew up. On the one hand, some argue that serial killers are influenced by things in their lives that cause them to become these guiltless killers. From this perspective, porn and violence in the home are big factors in what people believe to be influencing these people. On the other hand, however, others argue that these people are born this way and the way they grow up has no influence. In the words of Helen Morrison, one of these view’s main proponents, “No matter what country, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic background, education, familial background, they are all exactly the same.” According to this view, despite if they are born this way or grew up being influenced by things, they are all the same. In sum, then, the issue is whether they are born this way or if their lives are influenced.

While enlisted in the army he received 12 medals and during the time period of 1975-1998 murdered 13 women. All were shot in the head and had plastic bags over their heads. The killer was said to have sex with the bodies just before dumping them. Despite the fact that every serial killer has a unique form of “killing” these serial killers still share many characteristics. Many think that these people are born serial killers, however, there are a few examples of events and reasons that cause people turn to killing. Human beings are in a constant state of development from the moment of conception to death, Behavior is affected by stimulates received and processed by the central nervous system. Neurobiologist believes that our nervous system is environmentally sensitive, thereby allowing individual nervous systems to be shaped throughout a

Many things today confuse, yet enthrall the masses. War, murder, medical science, incredible rescues, all things you would see on The History Channel. There is another topic that is also made into documentaries however, serial killers. Dark twisted people that commit multiple murders are of interest to the population, but what caused them to be this way. What horrible tragic set of events could twist a man to murder one or many people. Could Schizophrenia, psychopathy, or sociopathy? Many people have researched this topic and believe that childhood trauma, heavy drugs during the growing phase of life, as well as many other things have twisted the minds of men such as Jeffery Dahmer, Charles Manson,

“The serial killer ‘is an entirely different criminal,’ ”The term serial killer is misleading on the ground that each murder is intended to be the last.” We see them as a figure of “the dark side of human potential,” but they believe they’re “on a heroic quest for the biggest score possible” They believe they are “the archetypal figure of impurity, the representative of a world which needs cleansing.” However, society knows that serial killers are not heroes, and they’re not cleansing the world. “The figure of the serial killer is violent impurity personified, and it is a construction that necessitates figures of violent purity to confront it.” While it can be argued whether having mental disorders should prevent a serial killer from being capitally punished, it is proven that many serial killers suffer from “paranoid schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, or psychopathology.” It’s even said that “this crime is actually a form of disease. Its carriers are serial killers who suffer from a variety of crippling and eventually fatal symptoms, and its immediate victims are the people struck down seemingly at random by the disease carriers.” Serial killers usually have a stressor in their life that makes them start killing, and when they do “homicidal mania becomes ‘a necessity… linked to the very existence of a psychiatry which had made itself autonomous but needed thereafter to secure a basis for its intervention by gaining recognition as a component of public

The events of the past can hold a great influence on the actions and behaviors of the future. From being raised in a supportive and loving home, to one that is full of neglect and abuse, each event can potentially impact the future of an individual. In the case of serial killers, there has been some debate on whether the evil ones are made or born; does it happen because of a genetic factor, environmental factor, or is it simply they addicted to the feeling of slaughtering another individual’s life? Although, the most important key in finding the truth deals with the past and shapes the outcome of the future. Upon viewing in a psychological stance, there is no clear understanding of why one aspect that most serial killers share, namely