Serial Killer Essay

A Serial Killer is often defined as a person who murders more than three people in separate events with a "cooling off period" between the killings. Serial killers will often be overwhelmed with a desire to kill often during a period of stress in their lives. After they

What is a serial killer? Retired Special Agent Robert Ressler, a twenty-two year veteran of the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit in Quantico, Virginia, is responsible for creating the term “serial killer.” He defines this person as “one who commits a series of murders, usually three or more, the victims most often being strangers, and usually with a cooling-off period in between each kill” (Kelleher & Kelleher, 1998; Pearson, 1998; Ressler and Shactman, 1997). This precise definition is necessary to distinguish this type of predator from the mass murderer (who kills many simultaneously), mercenaries, war criminals, or mafia hit men.

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

4. Serial killers also show signs of a psychopath though this is not always the case. Psychopaths lack empathy and guilt, are egocentric and impulsive and don’t conform to social, moral, or legal norms. Psychopaths have a distinct set of rules for themselves. They appear normal and are often very charming and charismatic.

There have been many studies conducted in the hopes of determining what makes serial killers do what they do. The study behind nature versus nurture when it comes to serial killers has become one of the most important studies for many social psychologists due to the curiosity behind these interesting people’s actions. From these studies, some have concluded that nature is behind their behavior, suggesting that their genes and DNA are to blame. Others argue that their actions are due to how they were brought up and how their environment impacted them. And lastly, there a few psychologists who have determined that it is a combination of both nature and nurture.

“We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.” (Ted Bundy). Serial killers are not always those people that look like monsters or behave in strangeous ways. Sometimes they are the successful people, the ones that have a family and a job. The term “Serial Killer” was first coined by Robert Ressler, former director of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. Serial killers are often defined as people that kill two or more people over a period of more than 30 days with “cooling off” periods between each kill. Many historical criminologists suggest that serial killing has been a component of society since the beginning; suggesting that old stories

His dead body was found in the woods near Daytona Beach, Florida, shot with a twenty two caliber rifle. “She ended up shooting six .22 caliber bullets into him” (McDuff 202). This is just one of the many catastrophes performed by a woman serial killer. Serial killers are a problem in the United States, murdering on average 2000 people each year (Indiana University np). “In fact, serial murder in the United States alone makes up more than three-quarters of the estimated world total” (Innes 5). Although women serial killers are not very common, they still have a huge impact on the death toll of innocent victims. In order to understand how woman serial killers operate, it is important to understand their motives, the different classifications

After reading and reflecting upon Chapter Nine, why do you suppose so many female serial killers prefer to use poison as their primary murder method? Elaborate.

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,

A serial killer is someone who has murdered at least three people on at least three different occasions with a break between the murders (Egger, 2002; Hickey, 2002). … It is likely that they kill during a time of stress and after it is done, they feel temporarily

Psychology of Serial Killers The act of killing for pleasure goes against human nature. Humans are supposed to feel guilt, mercy, anxiety, and fear when faced with the horrors of murder. Serial killers lack these basic feelings; they experience a perverse sense of fascination and coolness when doing these acts of gruesome violence. Since the very first serial killer documented in modern history, people have wondered how someone could be capable of such horrid acts.

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 are human black holes; they scare us because they mirror us,” spoke Shirley Lynn Scott, known author and psychologist. This stands true throughout history, as most serial killers blend in with society. Serial killing is formally defined by the FBI as “a series of three or more killings, having common characteristics such as to suggest the reasonable possibility that the crimes were committed by the same actor or actors.” But what exactly drives someone to kill another human being? What plays as a more drastic motivator for their actions, nature or nurture?

On January 15,1974 Dennis Rader killed Four members of the Otero family. This was his first kill. He waited long for the him to recognize his self with the family He has watched them enough to know what he is going to be dealing with. Than he came in their back door and strangled the family one by one. When he was finished he left through the front door. Later that night their 15 year old son from the otero family came home and discovered the bodies.(3). By killing these people he gained a sense of pleasure feeling and power and control over what he was doing. “Left semen at the scene and later said he derived sexual pleasure from killing”(3). According to this article Rader not only feeling sexual pleasure from this but he felt

The author mentions the ?primitive stage of emotional development? in which the person would be retaining that would also explain the bed-wetting as one of the characteristics. Pyromania is another clear sign when in conjunction with the triad. Fire is something that can be controlled by a man and twisted into an idea of power. Fire for these individuals brings power and excitement. Henry Lee Lucas, who murdered over 450 people, burned down a house near his own at the age of six. Pyromania and animal torture/mutilation is a manifestation of the need for power that serial killers posses and never progress past in their mental age. The triad, according to The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, hold evident for nearly 60% of serial killers. These characteristics may later develop into sexual sadism, necrophilia, or other similarly disturbing social disorders.