Traumatic Life Experiences, Abuse, And Poor Coping Skills

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,

What causes an individual to become a serial killer? Bio-psychologists believe that starting from birth the human mind is a “tabula rasa” or blank slate, and the individual learns behaviors and socio-cultural norms from individuals around them. This concept of nature versus nurture was based upon the idea that it is how you are brought up (nurture) that governs the psychologically significant aspects of child development and the concept of maturation applies only to the biological. The theory that explains the nature aspect of the nature versus nurture principle is called the attachment theory, which views the bond between mother and child as being an innate process that ensures survival. It is a biological need that has ensured the survival of many species including the human race; because of the need to protect and be protected humans as a species has been able to endure. It is also a psychological need to want to be cared for as well as care for others a study done by Harry Harlow (1950s). The concept of nurture focuses mainly on the effect that the environment has on the development of human beings and whether it is more important than nature. Several studies have been generated to try and settle the ongoing debate of nature versus nurture.

In an article called “The Traits of A Serial Killer,” by Simon (2004), psychopaths are not “created” over night, but rather their behavior can be connected all the way to their childhood. What trauma a child experiences plays a major role in the rest of his or her life. A serial killer, most of the time,

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

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

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.

Serial killers have plagued the world since before the 1500s. Theories have evolved over long periods of time for explanations as to why people begin killing. The earliest explanation was rooted in witchcraft and demonic possessions overtaking the person causing them to commit these acts of violence. Biological, psychological, and social theories have emerged over the years as society has developed and advanced. The latest theory suggests that the behavior of serial killers results as a combination of biological, psychological, and socialization factors. Despite the numerous theories trying to explain the phenomena of serial killing, no one knows exactly why or how seemingly normal people begin killing others. One of the most infamous serial killers was Donald Harvey. Harvey was a self-proclaimed “angel of death.” He murdered dozens of victims as a hospital aid. Due to Harvey’s difficult childhood and prolonged sexual abuse,  Donald developed a psychopathic-type personality disorder and killed dozens of victims.

Imagine a world where there were no serial killers and the countless lives that could be saved. We should know why these serial killers commit such heinous acts of violence. This knowledge would help to better understand serial killers and bring the mortality rate down. It has been established through research and experiments that one’s social environment and upbringing affects their criminal behavior. Coyne states, “environmental variables work together to cause problem behavior.” (34) Interpreting that these killers usually have something happen in their life, usually when they are younger, and experiencing negative effects of nurture. Some of these

Serial murders are events that can be categorized as three or more kills by one particular person. Although the question society as a whole still has is why would someone become this type of person and how. Some researchers have started looking into serial killers who have some brain disorders like autism, ASD, ADHD, and Asperger’s. “One researcher suggested that Autistic Psychopathy may underlie the motivation of some of these serial killers. He suggests a new diagnosis Criminal Autistic Psychopathy, a subcategory of Asperger's syndrome. He has also explored head injury as it has been shown that this is more prevalent in serial killers, with one study suggesting that one in four serial killers had suffered

“Research into the impact of childhood abuse and neglect on violent behavior of adults who became serial killers concluded that adults who had been physically, sexually, and emotionally abused as children were three times more likely than were non-abused adults to act violently as adults” (Silva, Leong, & Ferrari, 2004).

According to statistics 50% of Serial Killers suffered emotional,physical and sexual abuse and neglect during childhood. Often times family members were usually at odds with each other and had malfunction and debilitating relationships. As young children they would be often forced to witness violent sexual acts between parents and family members. The forms of punishment that many had to face would cause them to suffer from humiliation, were normal if not always unfair, unpredictable, destructive, and wicked. When a child is merely neglected huge developmental failures can occur. More than 20 known Serial Killers were forced to dress up as a girl as a wicked punishment. They would also be sexually abused by family members and punished for masturabating as children. Such experiences in a young child will create violent fantasies that go into adulthood. From these forms of punishment a child would and will become desensitized and will begin to believe that this emotionally barren world that he or she lives in is normal. Thus due to these punishments a child will become devoid of empathy for others. (Gerber

A dominant factor in determinating a child will become involved in homicidal activities is the environment the child grew up in. The worse the environment, the more abuse and violence, the greater chance the child becomes a involved in these illegal activities. The worst case is becoming a serial killer. The problem with serial killers is that most people find them fascinating more then monstrous, but according to Serial Killers” From Jack the Ripper to Aileen Wuornos by L. Andrew Cooper and Brandy Ball Blake, “... a few murderers show up frequently on people's list of real-life monster.” These serial killers are created by the withholding of emotions from the experience of childhood abuse the majority of the time. Even though many people are fascinated by the serial killer genre, they are still seen as monsters in society. The abuse the child went through can cause so much trauma to create a serial killer, and most cases that is where a serial killer is derived from. The use of abuse in the household has created this giant monster in society that is

As members in today's data fixated society, we are always being reminded of the horrific acts that people nowadays are able to commit. One watches the news and catches wind of a homicide, or reads an interesting book about killers. The only time that the New York Daily News has ever surpassed the New York Times, was the point at which the feature showed the true identification of Jack the Ripper (Landau, Harding, 2014). As you wade through these odds and ends of reality, one cannot resist the urge to be unearthed by the idea, what makes a person effectively commit such repulsive acts? There have been wide ranges of studies done with expectations of discovering an answer. For a crime as heinous as serial murder, there are two primary theories. The key notion is that serial killing is brought about by a variation from the norm in the frontal lobe area of the

There are many traits that make a serial killer, with abuse during childhood playing a major factor. The four main aspects of abuse that seem to make killers are: emotional, psychological, sexual and physical abuse. The serial killer group has six times more reported physical abuse during childhood than the general population. Research has demonstrated that many serial killers have much in common when it comes to their childhood experiences Emotional abuse often diminishes a child’s self-esteem, making it hard for them to adapt to their surroundings, such as situations involving school or work. Due to this factor, most serial killers often find it hard to keep jobs and intimate relationships for longer than a very short period of time. Emotional neglect also impairs a child’s ability to develop empathy, therefore lacking compassion. If the child grows up to become a murderer, having no empathy means they are able to kill someone without

They usually hate their parents. Almost every serial killer is abused as a child, whether it is sexually, emotionally, physically, or psychologically. This abuse may come from a stranger or a family member, but many serial killers try to lie about this history of abuse. Most serial killers have records of early psychiatric problems and often spent time in institutions as children (i.e.: mental hospitals or psychological rehabilitation centers). They have an intense interest in voyeurism, fetishism, and sadomasochistic porn at a very early age, and they also have a very high rate of suicide attempts. Future serial killers share three other traits in their childhoods. More than sixty precent of serial killers wet their beds past the age of twelve. They also have a fascination with fire, which may be an early manifestation of their fondness for mass destruction. In addition, almost every serial killer starts his abuse and sadistic torture on animal victims (Fisher and Fisher, 2003).