The Minds Of Serial Killers

Serial killers, we have all heard of them and most of us are petrified of them. They commit horrendous crimes that many people cannot even begin to wrap their head around. Unfortunately, for those of us who are afraid of them it is likely we have encountered at least one if not multiple in our lifetime. That last sentence really puts the “be nice to everyone” quote into perspective, doesn’t it? It is not known how many serial killers are actually walking around among us however most studies conducted reviled we may not want the answer. Chances are the number is higher than we would have thought and definitely higher than we had hoped. Although I highly doubt we will ever get an actual number. It is not likely that a survey will be given to see how many serial killers are actually walking free. Even if this hypothetical survey was given I do not think an actual serial killer is going to put a checkmark in the are you a serial killer box. Although if they did mark the box they would save a lot of lives. Answering yes to such a question would land them in a psych ward. We may not know how to identify a serial killer simply by looking them up and down but we do have theories that help predict why they choose to commit unspeakable crimes. One of these theories that will be discussed is the biosocial theory. Throughout the report, the biosocial theory of crime will be thoroughly explained and applied to this topic to better understand serial killers. Anyone who has some time to

Jeffrey Dahmer was a notorious serial killer in the late 70’s throughout the early 90’s. What made him stand out from most serial killer’s was what he did to the bodies of his victims. During this research paper, I will cover his childhood life, what led to his lifestyle of killing and cannibalism and also the crimes that were committed during his murderous acts. I will also compare what theories relate to Jeffrey Dohmer and what could possibly be the reason why he did what he did.

Serial killers are the byproduct of many different things: trauma, death of loved ones, abuse, neglect, adoption, and even witnessing abuse (Are Serial). Serial killers have had to endure a massive amount of something such as trauma or abuse to an unimaginable extent to become what they are; the extent of the abuse, the trauma, the psychological damage they endure is incomprehensible to many. The destruction of one’s innocence can occur at any given time in his or her life, but he or she is more impressionable in his or her youth by the negativism of someone else’s actions (Scott, Shirley L. What Makes Serial Killers Tick ~ Childhood Event). People are susceptible to what they endure in their adolescence, and cruel upbringings, such as

The mind of a serial killer can be very interesting in being able to find out what makes them want to do what they do. Knowing if someone was abused as a child and if this makes them more likely to become a serial killer or not become a serial killer is something I was very curious to learn about. Something that happens in a person’s childhood can affect the way they act when they become adults. I found two sources talking about childhood abuse and serial killers. The first source was an internet article entitled “Serial Killer Motives” found on the website How Stuff Works and was written by Shanna Freeman. The second source I found was a video entitled “Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer” which is found off of the website Big Think. This

For many years, psychologists have studied the difference between nature versus nurture and why people have the personality traits that they do. A common study on this topic is usually on identical twins. This is because these twins have the exact same DNA. Within these studies, the scientists learn that traits come from both heritable characteristics and from their environment. In 2000, a professor at the University of Wisconsin preformed a study on the brain scans of five hundred people, in which half of the people were considered prone to violence. The study found that the brain images of those who had been convicted of a murder with aggressive or antisocial disorders showed distinct brain activity compared to those who were considered normal (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture, n.d.). In cases with serial killers or with people related to violence, the studies tend to show that their personality and desire to kill come from mainly there DNA and nature, rather than their past. The Unabomber contradicts these stereotypes of a serial killer through the influence of his past and his motives for his bombs.

Serial killers have always fascinated society because no one knows how they come to be. People tend to think that being a psychopath is the same as being a serial killer. The acts committed by serial killers are too heinous and horrifying for a normal person to understand. Which is where one of the theories of how serial killers came to be came from. Nature vs. Nurture has been a topic of debate when it comes to serial killers for centuries. The debate is about whether genetics or environment factors determine the behavior and personality of a person. Just like hair color is determined by genetics, Those who argue genetics are the main factor in behaviour believe that genetic determines a person’s ability to take life without guilt or remorse. Those who are the believers of nurture side disagrees by stating that environmental factors like family, faith, and society regulate one’s capability to take life without remorse. Society needs to refrain from thinking that serial killers are born because they are made through psychological trauma caused by abuse at an early age or brain damage.

The question of whether or not man is predetermined at birth to lead a life of crime is a question that has been debated for decades. Are serial killers born with the lust for murder, or are their desires developed through years of abuse and torment? Many believe it is impossible for an innocent child to be born with the capability to commit a horrible act such as murder. But at the same time, how could we have corrupted society so much as to turn an innocent child into a homicidal maniac? Forensic psychologists have picked apart the minds of serial killers to find an answer as to what forces them to commit such perverse acts. Their ultimate goal is to learn how to catch a serial killer before

Serial killers tend to be white heterosexual males in their twenties and thirties, who are sexually dysfunctional and have low self-esteem. Serial killers generally murder strangers with cooling off periods in between each murder. Serial killers are twisted in nature. Some return to the place the murder happened or the gravesite to fantasize about their deeds. Serial killers have made many excuses for their killings and behavior such as: Henry Lucas blamed his upbringing, Jeffrey Dahmer claims he was born with a “part” of him missing, Ted Bundy said porno made him do it and John Wayne Gacy turned the blame around and said the victims deserved to die. Many killers blame their families for

Although the prevalence of the serial killer is ultimately unknown, many researchers agree about “one-half of 1%” of homicides are determined to be the product of serial killers (Homant & Kennedy, 2014). In order to prevent future victims, improve the ability of law enforcement to detect and apprehend, potentially incorporate treatment for current serial killers, and increase the ability to detect potential future serial killers it is important to identify characteristics that may cause one to become a serial killer. The question researchers have strived to answer is are serial killers born or are there explicit factors that contribute to someone ultimately becoming a serial killer? Researchers have potentially exposed several factors that potentially contribute to one becoming a serial killer. These conditions are notably greater in prevalence in known serial killers compared to the general population. These factors consist of family dynamics/parental characteristics, experienced child abuse (physical, sexual, and neglect), and psychological disorders.

For centuries, the world has been plagued with murderous criminals who find joy in the sick torture and killing of people they claim as victims. These offenders are often psychotic and sociopathic, feeling no guilt during or after the murder of their victims. As the years have progressed, studies have shown more clear information that may lead to determining why a person would choose to kill, why they would choose the specific victim that they do, and if their psychological problems relate back to their childhood. Many theories claim that the upbringing of the child may cause their psychological problems, while other theories state that it is a work of mother nature.

Every time we turn on the television or the radio we hear about something tragic happening. Some news we ignore then we hear about things such as the Sandy hook shooting or a man on a killing spree. The first thing that comes to our mind is “How can anyone do this to those innocent people?” A lot of factors come into play when understanding how someone can kill innocent people such as their childhood, their psychological state, and their traits. It all starts with your childhood: what you learn, how you’re treated, and what you feel.

All around us people are bombarded with the glorification of crime and violence. America’s culture is filled with T.V series such as CSI and Criminal Minds, which explore the emotions and motives of serial killers. The history and need for psychologists in the legal system has lead to the growing field of forensic psychology. Competitive salary and job satisfaction attracts many young students to this demanding field.

The phrase ‘serial killer’ might as well be a synonym for evil. Even the mention of names like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy can induce chills down one’s back. People like these two show no remorse for planning out and executing multiple murders for reasons as simple as personal satisfaction. However, an unseen force other than Evil works on the minds of people like Jeffrey Dahmer: Mental Illness. The brain holds immense potential, but it’s dark side

A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people, this type of crime turns into highly covered stories by the media. The manner in which newspapers cover aspects of the crime have similarities and differences. More specifically, the three articles that will be discuss explore three serial killers and the manner in which they conducted their crimes, these are “17 Killed, and a Life is Searched for Clues” by James Barron from The New York Times, “Unintended result: Gacy probe clears 11 unrelated cold cases” by Sharon Cohen from The Chicago Tribune, and “Worst serial killer in history, who fed prostitutes to pigs, sparks rage by publishing book” by Michael E. Miller from The Washington Post.

“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