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research essay on serial killers

research essay on serial killers

The social study of serial killers

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Kevin Haggerty and Ariane Ellerbrok examine the cultural and historical context of serial killing

The study of serial killers has been dominated by an individualised focus on studying the biography of offenders and the causes of their behaviour. Popular representations of Jeffrey Dahmer, Harold Shipman, John Wayne Gacy and other notorious figures emphasise the sociopathic tendencies of the lone serial killer, presented in accounts that accentuate how assorted personality traits and risk factors ostensibly contribute to their otherwise unfathomable behaviour. While this emphasis on personal biography lends itself to much needed psychological analysis, the cumulative effect of such accounts is that serial killing can appear a-historical and a-cultural, as though such predispositions might manifest themselves in identical ways irrespective of context.

In fact, serial killing is intimately tied to its broader social and historical setting, something that is particularly apparent when such killing is considered in relation to a series of broad historical changes that have occurred over approximately the past 400–500 years, commonly associated with the rise of modernity. So, while throughout human history there have probably always been individuals who engaged in serial predation, in previous eras it was not possible for an individual to be a serial killer. Serial killing is a distinctly modern phenomenon, a product of relatively recent social and cultural conditions to which criminologists can provide fresh insight by accentuating the broad institutional frameworks, motivations, and opportunity structures within which serial killing occurs (Haggerty, 2009).

Serial killing is the rarest form of homicide, occurring when an individual has killed three or more people who were previously unknown to him or her, with a ‘cooling off’ period between each murder. This definition is accepted by both police and academic experts and therefore provides a useful frame of reference. Unfortunately, it also narrows the analysis of such crimes, as it fails to incorporate many of the familiar (although not inevitable) characteristics of serial killing. These include such things as the diverse influences of the mass media on serial killers as well as their tendency to select victims from particular walks of life. Attending to these (and other) factors can provide insight into the broader social and historical contexts that constitute the structural preconditions for such acts.

Here we briefly identify three aspects of serial killing that are often taken for granted, but that are intimately tied to the emergence of serial murder in its contemporary guise. These include the rise of a society of strangers, the development of a culture of celebrity, and cultural frameworks of denigration and marginalisation.

Society of strangers

Mass urbanisation is a distinctive characteristic of the modern era, something that has profoundly altered the nature of human relationships by virtue of generating an unprecedented degree of anonymity. In pre-modern societies individuals knew one another by name, often having intimate knowledge of their neighbour's family history, daily routines and personal predilections. Strangers were rarely encountered, and when encountered were the subject of rumour and suspicion. The average medieval citizen might have only met 100 strangers during the course of their entire life (Braudy, 1986), a number markedly low by contemporary standards, where one could confront hundreds of strangers simply on the daily commute to work.

The rise of capitalism and related processes of mass migration to urban centres resulted in individuals being immersed in a sea of strangers (Nock, 1993). This development also proved to be a key precondition for the emergence of serial murder, given that a defining attribute of serial killers is that they prey on strangers (something that distinguishes them from the vast majority of homicides, which typically involve some form of prior relationship between killer and victim). Thus dense modern urban environments represent ideal settings for the routinised impersonal encounters that operate as a hallmark of serial killing.

Mass media and the culture of celebrity

Although serial killing is statistically rare, it is nonetheless a ubiquitous cultural phenomena, one that for the vast majority of people is best understood as a media event (Gibson, 2006). Serial killers have become an inescapable point of reference in movies, television fiction, novels, true crime books and video games. This global system of mass media – again, a characteristic attribute of modernity – has made many citizens intimately familiar with the dynamics of serial killing and the lives of particularly notorious offenders.

The relationship between media and serial killing is, however, not straightforward. By widely circulating the details of specific serial killers, the mass media establishes the ‘serial killer’ as a dominant cultural category. One upshot is that, whereas in antiquity killing sequentially may have been something that someone did, today a serial killer is something someone can be. By placing the category of ‘serial killer’ into wide circulation, the media makes the specifics of such behaviour open to potential imitation, although this is not to suggest that serial killing might be the product of some straightforward ‘media effect’.

The media has also fostered a culture of celebrity. In our predominantly secular modernity the prospect of achieving celebrity has become desirable to the extent that it promises to liberate individuals from a powerless anonymity, making them known beyond the limitations of ascribed statuses such as class and family relations. For some this promise of celebrity is merely appealing, while for others it is an all-consuming passion, to the point that not securing some degree of fame can be experienced as a profound failure. Serial killers are not immune to the appeals of celebrity. As Egger (2002) has demonstrated in his analysis of seven of the most notorious American serial killers, the majority ‘seemed to enjoy their celebrity status and thrive on the attention they received’. Hence the complaint of a serial killer to local police is telling: ‘How many times do I have to kill before I get a name in the paper or some national attention?’ (Braudy, 1986).

Marginalisation

Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of serial murder is that such killings appear random. This, however, is a misleading characterisation, for while serial killers do target strangers, their victims are not haphazard (Wilson, 2007). Rather, the victims of serial killers tend to mimic the wider cultural categories of denigration characteristic of contemporary society. All societies have their own distinctive structures of symbolic denigration, whereby certain classes of people are positioned as outcasts or ‘lesser’ humans. Such individuals, often singled out by modern institutions for reprobation, censure and marginalisation, are also disproportionately the targets of serial killers, who tend to prey upon vagrants, the homeless, prostitutes, migrant workers, homosexuals, children, the elderly and hospital patients (ibid.). Gerald Stano likened the killing of his victims to ‘no different than stepping on a cockroach’ (Holmes and DeBurger, 1998). Such a statement keenly demonstrates the extent to which serial killers embrace and reproduce the wider cultural codings that have devalued, stigmatised and marginalised specific groups. Through a distorted mirror, serial killers reflect back, and act upon, modernity's distinctive valuations.

Recognising the dynamics of victim marginalisation is particularly germane to the study of serial killers, for the denigration of particular social groups is connected to specific opportunity structures for murder. Criminologists have emphasised the importance of ‘opportunity structures’ as a means of ascertaining the increased likelihood of criminal behaviour in certain contexts – noting that crime is more likely to occur when there is a combination of a possible victim accessible to predation, a motivated offender, and a lack of competent guardians. That the victims of serial killers tend to be drawn from modernity's disposable classes can also mean that these victims are outside of effective systems of guardianship, and are targeted not only because they are more accessible, but also because their deaths are less likely to generate timely investigation or legal consequences.

Modern phenomena

While serial killing is routinely presented as the unfathomable behaviour of the lone, decontextualised and sociopathic individual, here we have emphasised the unnervingly familiar modern face of serial killing. Several distinctively modern phenomena, including anonymity, a culture of celebrity enabled through the rise of mass media, and specific cultural frameworks of denigration, each provide key institutional frameworks, motivations and opportunity structures for analysing such acts. To exclusively focus on aetiology and offender biography systematically ignores this larger social context, and elides a more nuanced understanding of the hows and whys of serial killing.

Kevin Haggerty is Professor of Sociology and Criminology and Ariane Ellerbrok is a PhD student at the University of Alberta, Canada.

Braudy, L. (1986) The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and its History, New York: Oxford University Press.

Egger, S. (2002)  The Killers Among Us: Examination of Serial Murder and Its Investigations , Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 

Gibson, D. (2006) Serial Murder and Media Circuses , Westport, CT: Praeger.

Haggerty, K. (2009) Modern serial killers. Crime Media and Culture , 5 (2), pp 168–187. 

Holmes, R. and DeBurger, J. (1998), “Profiles in terror: the serial murderer”. In Contemporary Perspectives on Serial Murder , Edited by: Holmes, R. and Holes, S. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  

Nock, S. (1993) The Costs of Privacy: Surveillance and Reputation in America , New York: Aldine de Gruyter.  

Wilson, D. (2007) Serial Killers: Hunting Britons and Their Victims , 1960–2006 , Winchester: Waterside.

94 Serial Killer Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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research essay on serial killers

Serial Killer Research Paper Topics: How to Pick One

Why should anyone write a research paper on serial killers? It is the very question you should keep in mind when assigned to perform a home task on this topic. Serial killers are not products of the long-gone times of Jack the Ripper, but a frightening reality. Moreover, despite all the achievements and efforts of forensic science, various fields related to psychology, psychiatry and different social services, people who have a pathological urge to satisfy their contorted needs through serial killings find new ways to escape both treatment and punishment, as well as to trap victims. The US is the world's serial killers leader with the share of 76 percent, while Europe ranks second with only 17 percent. And although the number of serial killers fell significantly in the noughties compared to the 1970-1990s, only from 2010 to 2015 more than 500 victims were killed and 54 serial killers were apprehended and identified in the United States.

That's why you need to understand that you are asked to write about serial killers for a reason - to contribute to preventing this type of crime in one way or another. And that's why you need to take the task seriously starting from the very choosing of a topic for your serial killers research paper. Some students make a mistake taking allegedly "entertaining" topics like "The US number one dangerous killer" or "The most terrible crimes committed by maniacs in the history." Such topics are suitable for thrilling readers rather than for conducting in-depth research aimed at some practical purpose. Those practical purposes may cover understanding how people become serial killers; what we can do to identify deviant behavior in people early on; what should be done to eliminate factors contributing to the development of violent behavior and so on.

To this end, serial killers are studied in several fields like psychology, sociology, forensics and some other sciences, which consider the phenomenon from various perspectives to better understand it. Obviously, students should choose serial killer research paper topics based on the subject they study and set the appropriate goals - to explore the psychology of criminals, to distinguish the most vulnerable social groups or to learn about ways that may help in catching a serial killer. Even if you are writing without focusing on a particular subject, you can make a real difference by dispelling myths about serial killers and presenting facts that can educate you and your readers.

Research Paper Topics on Serial Killers: Ideas and Examples

We have selected the most promising topic ideas on serial killers covering psychological, social, cultural, demographic and many other aspects of this phenomenon. Note that the list doesn't include topics on mass murders or school shooting since many forensic schools consider serial killers a separate group of criminals, who are different in their specificity from those mentioned. However, you should clarify through your tutor, which category of criminals you are assigned to research, and if necessary, you can transform the proposed topics accordingly.

You can adjust the offered research paper topics on serial killers to your needs by broadening or, conversely, narrowing them down. Make sure to find and read information on the topic selected before making a final decision to avoid lack of evidence.

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Serial Killers Essay

research essay on serial killers

Serial Killers : A Serial Killer

understand a serial killers background to get an understanding of how childhood trauma could lead to their need to kill. Although there are no exact factors that would absolutely cause a child to grow up into a serial killer, research found by Laurence Miller in “Serial killers: II. Development, Dynamics, and Forensics,” suggest that there are several common factors found in multiple serial killers’ childhoods. For example, some of the leading childhood characteristics found among serial killers include

Serial Killer : Serial Killers

According to an FBI study, “there have been approximately 400 serial killers in the United States in the past century, with anywhere from 2,526 to 3,860 victims (Hickey). No one really understands serial killers. It is actually quite difficult to comprehend how the mind of a serial killer works. Some believe that a serial killer feels strongly attracted by a specific physical characteristic in the victim. It could be his or her appearance: facial features, clothes, or even personality. On the other

Serial Killers And The Serial Killer

help? This was the technique one of the most infamous serial killer Ted Bundy used to approach his victims and ultimately murder them. B. Background and Audience Relevance: Today, I will be speaking to you about serial killers. C. Speaker Credibility: I decided to do my topic on serial killers because, criminology is something I’m genuinely interested in and would like to learn more about it myself. D. Thesis: By learning about serial killers, hopefully in the future they can be captured faster

What is a serial killer? Serial killers are very sick and distraught compared to others. As indicated by the Vancouver Sun, a serial killer is characterized as somebody who is responsible for more than three killings over a period that than traverses over one month.In 2005 the fbi changed it to at least two killings with no reference to intention or time span. Generally, serial killers murder for some kind of mental benefit. Serial Killers can come in all shapes and sizes: don 't be tricked by

“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

Serial Killers And The Killers

“We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow”. These chilling words come from the mouth of one of the world’s most notorious serial killers, Theodore Bundy. So many people have stated the evilness that lives within this man, and rightly so, as he was a kidnapper, rapist, and necrophile who assaulted and murdered numerous women. However, I have been intrigued by these murders, or more so the murderers themselves.

Serial Killer And Serial Killers Essay

America has some of the most infamous serial killers who marked history, serial killers who once didn’t even think to harm any human being. Many people grow up differently from others, some people grow up in a safe environment surrounded with caring people and others grow up in a completely different environment being missed treated by others, therefore are serial killers made or born? A serial killer is defined as “a person who commits more than three murders over a period that spans more than

Serial Killers : A Serial Killer Essay

Crimes and criminals define not only places, but certain time periods. Serial killers are usually the ones that individuals tend to remember the most. An individual is considered a serial killer when they murder three or more individuals during a period of time with a cooling off period between each crime (Frailing & Harper, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to discuss one of the most controversial and yet famous serial killer, Theodore Robert Bundy. Something interesting that attracts the attention

Serial Killers : The Serial Killer Essay

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. These serial killers have been covered

Serial Killers

Title: The Evolution of serial Killers Introduction: For centuries Stories about Serial killers have graced the covers of newspapers and magazines. Famous stories like “Jack The Ripper” and Edward “Ed” Gein, which influenced many popular films such as Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. There are so many questions surrounding this topic one being: Nature versus Nurture? Is this need to kill a simply male completion in an effort to show status and be “The Alpha Male”? If this is true then

Criminal psychologists have been examining into cases if serial killers are born or made. In most of these cases, many psychologists have considered multiple clues or indications that lead to why people become these ruthless murderers. What appeared to be a common factor is childhood abuse. Mostly the reason why childhood abuse has appeared to be a noticeable element to consider is because of how serial killers bring up that they have been abused as a child. Because of this, many claim that childhood

Serial Killers --

SERIAL KILLERS A serial killer is a person whom everybody knows as a friend, a lover or even a father but no one knows about his killer instinct until it’s to late. Serial killers have plagued this country and others for many years. They are hard to find and virtually undetectable until they start murdering the innocent. Serial killers are usually young, white males who are quite intelligent and often come from broken homes. They may have been abused either physically or sexually

A Serial Killer

Coco Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Fruit Loops are the names of different types of cereal. When you hear the name “Serial Killer” you immediately think about cereal killing people, or at least that’s what I thought when I was younger. A Serial Killer is a person who continues to murder different but innocent people for no apparent reason. Serial Killers usually kill during a long period of time as well. Males are most likely to be known as one because it gives them a motivation by a variety of

Female Serial Killers : A Serial Killer Essay

Female Serial Killers For the most part the domain of serial homicide is ruled by men. There is however some females that has and can be serial killers. According to Bartol & Bartol (2005) there have been at thirty six female serial killers throughout the United States. In general society we do not like to believe that women are capable of committing such acts, but as we continue to alter our views, moral, and beliefs of women’s equality and feminism there is room for women to be just as likely

the case, then what makes a serial killer tick? The definition of a serial killer is; a series of two or more murders committed as separate events usually, but not always, by one offender standing alone. (Brookes, 1988) Over the years, many murderers have been given this term. From the early days of Jack the Ripper, to the most recently publicized case of "the sniper", all have different motives and reasons to the crimes that they commit. Most of the serial killers suffer from mental illness/addictions

Violence in America," on the World Socialist Web Site, they state a studied made by Dr. Lewis and Dr. Pincus supporting this idea. Dr. Lewis, who studies the childhood brain development, and Dr. Pincus studied all murderers and even the notorious serial killers, and said they are the product of child abuse mixed with neurological damage and psychiatric illness, but how? We all assume if adults were abused as children they would grow out of it and seek help, well this is a false thought. Through investigations

Serial Killers Vs Serial Killers

the horrid serial killers that live among us and some even living incarcerated in prisons all across the country. A serial killer is described “as a person who murders three or more people in a period of over a month, with ‘cooling down’ time between murders” (Serial Killers Vs. Mass Murderers). One question being; were killers born with a sense of killing, or did they learn how to become killers over time? Many speculations come from all different kinds of people, but are serial killers born the way

Killer Vs. Serial Killers

Killer vs Killer Countless people, especially, criminologists have researched serial killers since they are fascinating. Many disagree as to what the legal definition of a serial murder, which is, “[t]he unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. (Morton et al. 9). There is certainly not any dispute that there have been both male and female serial killers. Much of the research and documentation is specifically aimed around male serial killers. Overall, there

Killer vs Killer Countless people especially, criminologist have researched serial killers because they are so fascinating. Many disagree as to what the legal definition of a serial murder, which is, “[t]he unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. (Morton et al. 9). There is certainly not any dispute that there have been both male and female serial killers. Most of the research and documentation is specifically aimed around male serial killers. Over all

Characteristics Of Serial Killers

The over dramatization of serial killers, and their apprehension has evidently distorted the facts. Civilian’s enthrallment with serial killers has both desirable and undesirable social effects (Gibson, 2006). Although all serial killers share similar characteristics they behave identically to everyone else. Civilians have been misled to believe that serial killers are different from the rest of human kind, that they possess distinguishable characteristics that can be readily identified (Haggerty

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research essay on serial killers

Research Paper on What Makes a Serial Killer

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research essay on serial killers

Serial Killer Research Papers: Example and Topic Suggestions

However captivating paper topic of this kind may seem, not every student turns to be good at it. Everyone studying jurisprudence or criminology faces the subject of serial killers. Therefore, it’s crucial to cover this area well enough. The following is a sample research paper exploring serial killers, their behavior and sociology as well as the list of topics for you to consider.

Research papers on serial killers traditionally regard them as people who have a certain psychological motivation to kill. According to a study of serial killers, the murders are committed in a unique fashion, and the killer has a particular mark or sign that they are known for throughout their ‘career’. While selecting a victim, the murderers follow special patterns so that all victims have something peculiar. What do serial killers have in common and what can separate them from the public? Most often such people have mental disorders, exhibit predatory or sensation-seeking behavior, they have troubles being employed, especially, on the menial jobs, are likely to have experienced some kind of abuse in childhood and have been involved in petty crimes - theft, fraud, vandalism, etc.

Different Types of Serial Killers

It might be impossible to understand what makes serial killers tick and categorize them, however, we can review their practices and methods so that to define their type of criminal. Below are 4 types of serial killers specified by Holmes and DeBurger (1998) in terms of the causes of murder:

Unlike male serial murderers who are most often driven by sexual desires, women have much more pragmatic and practical approach to their killings. Besides, the typology described above, types of female serial killers add up comfort murderers who kill people physically  and emotionally closest to them (husbands, lovers, etc.) and disciple killers who commit crimes because of their involvement in sects or cults

Common Types of Serial Killers Psychology

Frankly speaking, there is no clear-cut typology that describes what is inside the minds of serial killers. However, numerous studies on serial killers psychological aspects give us a reasonable understanding in order to help investigators to piece together the clues of murders. Here are some of the psychological theories towards serial killers used in criminology:

Sociology of Serial Killers

Sociology study serial killers from a psychological as well as criminological standpoint. How do cultural or structural variables influence an individual’s chances to become a murderer? Are serial killers born or made? What are the differences in behaviors of organized and disorganized killers? These and much more questions have been examined by sociologists for years.

Scientists say there is a certain Schemata (set of requirements) that makes an individual to be deemed as a serial murderer. This allows police and other protection authorities to take preventative steps in place. They also consider such criminals to be impulsive, risk-taking, non-verbal, and having low self-control. Many theories in effect seek roots of self-control in childhood experiences. Almost all studies of the subject state that childhood turns out the undercurrent why serial killers act in the manner they do.

10 Serial Killer Research Paper Topics

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In the world of psychology, there are numerous controversies on the debate of whether serial killers are nature or nurture. Nature refers to all genes and hereditary factors, meaning they are natural-born serial killers (Cherry 1). Nurture refers to all environmental variables, meaning they are impacted by their surrounding culture (Cherry 1). Many think that serial killers are driven by instinct and desire to kill, while others think they are born to kill. Serial killers typically perform horrible crimes and rarely leave evidence behind at the crime scene. They maul their victim like an animal would maul its prey (Cornwell 2). Studies of serial killers’ minds make it easy for one to say nurture beats nature (Cornwell 1). Factors such as behavior, personality, and culture form a serial killer.

The behavior of a serial killer is influenced by childhood memories, illness, abuse, and other negative circumstances. Childhood memories reflect on behaviorism of a serial killer due to an unusual experience with a parent, often the mother. In an effort to keep their children chaste, some mothers have linked sexuality with death (Maria 1). For example, Ed Gein’s extremely religious mother convinced him that women were vessels of sin and caused disease (Maria 1). In a sick and twisted way, Ed misinterpreted what his mother was saying. He made literal vessels out of women, using their skulls for bowls, and other domestic objects (Maria 1). People in the psychological world examine childhood abuse as a possible key to serial killers’ behavior (Maria 1). At an early age, some children have the tendency to hurt small animals (Pemment 1). Childhood trauma, abuse, and acting out are a part of a serial killer’s actions. Many say this is a reason to believe that they are natural born killers, but there is usually more to the story such as said abuse or trauma. (Maria 1). One could argue that children across the world have suffered horrible and sickening abuse at the hand of their parents, but did not grow up to be lust murderers (Maria 1). Even though this is true, it can also be said that people cope with things differently because of other influences such as how they were raised, what they have been through, friendships, and other similar factors.

The personality of a serial killer is a distant, distinct personality. Serial killers normally have a dark realm personality (Cornwell 2). They isolate themselves from the world around them. Serial killers have tendencies of violent behavior, do poorly in school, have low IQs, and have poor social skills (GoodTherapy 1). By lacking these skills, they normally have trouble managing or holding jobs (GoodTherapy 1). They mostly work as unskilled laborers. Personality disorders such as antisocial personality disorder (APD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), schizophrenia, and narcissistic traits are what contribute to a serial killer’s personality (Pemment 1). APD is characterized by a pattern of disregard and violation of the rights of others (Pemment 1). BPD is characterized by emotion, instability, anxiety, and schizophrenia (Pemment 1). For example, serial killer Jeffery Dahmer suffered from BPD. When Dahmer was young he was disengaged, tense, and had no friends. Jeffery blamed his BPD for his violent kills (Bio 1). Jeffery killed seventeen men in all between the times of 1978 to 1991 (Bio 1). Another serial killer is David Berkowitz, better known as the son of Sam. Berkowitz suffered from schizophrenia (Bio 1). In his early life, he created terror in the hearts of the residents where he stayed (Bio 1). He was a troubled child when growing up. He developed schizophrenia after the death of his mother (Bio 1). He targeted single women and couples (Bio 1). Throughout his life, he went on many killing sprees and severely injured many. For someone who did well in school and grew up in a working-class family, Ted Bundy is a primary example of nurture. He suffered from APD, but he was shy and did not do well with his peers (Bio 1). He was someone many did not expect to be a serial killer. He was connected to thirty-six cases but he committed more (Bio 1). Throughout each one of this serial killer life, they choose to become a serial killer, even though they were impacted by personality or personality disorders. One who believes that serial killers are natural born may argue that this serial killers were made to do these wicked crimes. One also can include that it is a hereditary factor if personality problems are genetic in their families.

The aspect of a serial killer’s culture can influence them to become killers. Many serial killers’ characteristics come from their surroundings. Serial killers do not murder people they know, they tend to murder strangers. Mostly 90 percent of their victims are strangers (Maria 1). Not only are these victims strangers but are mostly outside of their culture and cultural beliefs (Maria 1). The variable of the culture is related to where the serial killer grew up (Maria 1). Serial killers are exposed to many things in their culture, like guns at an early age, knives, and extreme use of violence (Cornwell 6). Serial killers with friends who have wicked fantasies about things influence them (Maria 1). For example serial killer Charles Manson, now he is a notorious serial killer. Charles was a cult leader who follows carried out several crimes (Bio 1). He was connected to the murder of the actress Sharon Tate and other Hollywood residents (Bio 1). Manson’s mother was an alcoholic and prostitute (Bio 1). Charles’s mother wanted nothing to do with him, so he started his life of crime due to his surroundings (Bio 1). He started his cult and influenced the people around him to start doing the evil things he was doing. They first started out by doing little things then it expanded to murder after murder, eventually they become serial killers and killed people they did not know (Maria 1). Another serial killer that led cultural beliefs is Jeffrey Lundgren. He is a cult leader who murders a five-family cult (Bio 1). He started out as a Christian but later turn into a wicked cult leader. He grew up in a strict and well-civilized home. Lundgren’s family was a church-going family. He became a religious fanatic, he preached about the apocalypse and trained his followers for war (Bio 1). Lundgren misconception of religion was evil and unjust. He convinced his followers to murder the cult (Bio 1). Both Manson and Lundgren are primary examples of the influence of culture and cultural beliefs, their followers did exactly what their cult leader wanted.

The question of rather a serial killer is nature or nurture is still not solved, but many have concluded their thought and opinion on it. Besides behavior, personality, and culture there are many more factors to contribute to a serial killer being nature or nurture. One firmly believes that serial killers are nurtured. They experience things throughout childhood that influence them to become a serial killer, but it is not what makes them one. Each serial killer ultimately chose to do the deed that they have done. They may have had outside influences that encouraged them to commit their wicked and sick fantasies. Parents, society, and other things can bring a child down, but it does not make them grow to become evil.

Johann (Jack) Unterweger As A Serial Killer

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Childhood Trauma VS Serial Killers

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Serial Killers Essays

A serial killer is someone who kills with a minimum of four over a couple of weeks with little psychological comfort to continue criminal operations. A psychopathic killer is a person having a lack of interpersonal empathy and fails to feel kindness toward his victims. A psychopathic killer does not value human life and does not care about the punishment of his crimes. It is very important to diagnose the seriousness of their psychological condition and how to treat them in order to protect the security of the community from them. Serial killers are born and made depending on the conditions they live in or it is just a genetic accident they got from their parents.

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Serial Killer Essay: How to write one?

A serial killer essay is a type of essay that explores the psychology of serial killers. It can be written from the perspective of a victim, or from that of a criminal psychologist, who is trying to understand the factors that motivated the crime.

The first step in writing this type of essay is to gather information about the subject. You should read up on serial killers and their crimes, and find out as much as possible about their backgrounds, motivations, and methods. Once you have done this, you can begin writing your essay.

The first part of your serial killer essay should be an introduction that summarizes everything you know about the subject. This will help readers understand what they are reading, and give them an idea of what they can expect from your paper. The next section should contain background information on serial killers in general—what makes them tick? What types do we see and how do they differ? How many exist? Then move on to describing your chosen victim/criminal psychologist and their relationship with one another (or lack thereof).

Finally comes analysis—what does this mean for society at large? How did this person get here? What could we have done differently? What changes need to happen now?

research essay on serial killers

Real serial killers: Men Vs. Woman

Who are Serial Killers?

Serial killers are a type of murderer who kill multiple people over a period of time, with a cooling-off period in between murders. The murders are typically planned, and the killer often seeks to gain some satisfaction from them, such as through control, power or sexual gratification. The FBI says that serial killers tend to be organized and prefer using weapons that require little physical effort on their part (such as knives). They may also have an interest in forensics or medicine, which helps them learn how to avoid detection.

Serial killers are often men who were abused or neglected as children. They often have antisocial personality disorders and narcissistic traits, making it difficult for them to empathize with others. They may have difficulty maintaining relationships due to their lack of empathy and tendency toward violence.

While some serial killers choose their victims at random (known as “chosen” victims), others target specific types of people (known as “fixed” victims). Some common fixed victims include prostitutes, hitchhikers, runaway teens and children living in poverty.

There are many different types of serial killers. Here are some of the most common:

research essay on serial killers

Female Serial Killers

Essay on Serial Killer: Structure

Introduction:.

– A brief history of serial killers and their motivations

– How they are different from other criminals and why they are so feared by the public

Body Paragraphs:

– The first body paragraph will be about how serial killers are different from other criminals. This paragraph should include an explanation of how a serial killer’s motivation differs from other criminals, why it makes them so fearsome to the public, and how this type of crime is often misunderstood by law enforcement officials.

– In a second body paragraph, you can explain how serial killers differ from other criminals in terms of their behavior. This paragraph should include an explanation of what happens during a serial killer’s crime cycle, why this behavior is so terrifying to the public, and why it makes them seem so unpredictable to law enforcement officials.

Conclusion:

– In your conclusion, you should summarize all that you’ve said in your essay with one or two sentences that show how you came to your conclusion about serial killers’ motivations, behavior, etc.

Tips on How to Write a Perfect Serial Killer Essay

Here are some tips on how to write a perfect serial killer essay:

1. Do your research

You need to have as much information as possible about serial killers before starting your essay. You can find this information on the Internet or in books at the library.

2. Write with passion

Your readers should feel like they are experiencing these events first hand while reading your paper. You can do this by writing in an engaging way that makes them feel like they are part of the story.

3. Make sure everything is accurate

It’s important that all of the facts about serial killers in your paper are correct before submitting it for grading or publication. You should also check for spelling and grammar mistakes before submitting it for grading or publication.

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15 Interesting Serial Killer Research Paper Topics 

July 17, 2021 by Prasanna

Serial Killer Research Paper Topics: Serial killers are not results of the distant memory seasons of Jack the Ripper, yet an alarming reality. Besides, in spite of the multitude of accomplishments and endeavors of legal science, different fields identified with brain research, psychiatry and distinctive social administrations, individuals who have an obsessive inclination to fulfill their distorted requirements through sequential killings discover better approaches to get away from both treatment and discipline, just as to trap casualties.

Serial killers are concentrated in a few fields like brain research, humanism, criminology and some different sciences, which think about the wonder according to different points of view to more readily get it. Clearly, understudies ought to pick Serial killer research paper points dependent regarding the matter they study and put forward the proper objectives – to investigate the brain science of Criminals, to recognize the weakest gatherings of people or to find out about ways that may help in getting a Serial killer. Regardless of whether you are composing without zeroing in on a specific subject, you can have a genuine effect by scattering fantasies about Serial killers and introducing realities that can instruct you and your readers.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Topics on Serial Killers

A Serial killer is somebody who kills with at least four a long time with minimal mental solace to proceed with criminal activities. A psychopathic executioner is an individual having an absence of relational sympathy and neglects to feel thoughtfulness toward his casualties. A psychopathic executioner doesn’t esteem human existence and couldn’t care less about the discipline of his violations. Analyze the earnestness of their mental condition and how to get them all together shield the security of the local area from them. Serial killers are conceived and made relying upon the conditions they live in or it’s anything but a hereditary mishap they got from their folks.

Research Titles for Serial Killers

The topics related to Serial killers are:

You can change the offered research paper subjects on Serial killers to your necessities by expanding or, on the other hand, narrowing them down. Make a point to discover and read data on the theme chosen prior to settling on an ultimate choice to keep away from absence of proof.

Research Paper on Crime and Criminals

Criminals are made because of their general public. In any case, hoodlums are made on account of the conditions they were going through, regardless of whether by the savagery of guardians or by the local area. Crooks resort to brutality and utilize the danger as a method of living, and they don’t feel remorseful about their activities. Numerous Criminals feel outcast in view of the treatment they get from their networks, where the strikes they get are a result of their general public; not they were brought into the world with viciousness. Individuals with high testosterone levels are for all intents and purposes bound to submit to brutality more than the individuals who don’t have this level. Hence, hostile conduct is well known which gives a substitute recognizable proof to Criminals.

Criminals will have furious inclinations toward their folks when they get dismissed or all the more respectful companions. At the point when a criminal gets dismissed by his friends, the outcome will be negative because of incendiary or risky guardians or the absence of sufficient parental control. Hence, taking part in a pack or executioner gathering of people will make up for the heartfelt shortcoming, raising the individuals’ feeling of good individual connection. At last, kid sexual maltreatment is one of the principal factors that cause extraordinary injury to the hoodlums, prompting separation from their networks for a significant stretch of time.

Criminals assault kids and treat them as homeless canines, prompting questions and scorn of society. The youngster develops with dread and carries on with a troublesome life rather than others and that makes him the loathing of society, which keeps an eye on wrongdoing and viciousness to fulfill his savage longings. Nonetheless, when an individual feels distanced from society, he will end up being a criminal on account of the unforgiving conditions he encountered, like lewd behavior and harassment.

FAQ’s on Serial Killer Research Paper Topics

Question 1. How to start a good statement for Serial killer topics?

Answer: We can start with the statement as’ serial killers are not born or they are not killers by birth, instead, they are made by our society. These serial killers have one or another history of assault and abuse in their previous lives. Therefore, before we mark them for their cruelty, we should analyse what was the situation that made them serial killers.

Question 2. What are the main objectives of a serial killer?

Answer: As per the analysis and investigation have done on serial killers, their motives are anger, seeking attention, thrill, self-satisfaction, and money.

Question 3. What are the common types of serial killers?

Answer: A serial killer that has power and wants to control or dominate their victims are the most common type of them.

Question 4. Who was Jack the Ripper?

Answer: Jack the ripper was a serial killer in London. He was also called Whitechapel Murderer and Leather Apron.

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Serial Killer Essays (Examples)

188 results for “Serial Killer” .

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Serial Killers

Serial Killers have long fascinated the general public, not only because their crimes are so heinous, but also because they embody the extremes to which psychological disorders can take a person. In the name of psychological insight, the lives of serial killers are dissected down to the most minute detail in the hopes of understanding what factors contribute to making a 'monster'. The Crime Classification Manual defines serial murder as "three or more separate events in three or more separate locations with an emotional cooling off period in between the homicides." (Douglas et al., 1992). What motivates the serial killer is an area of much research. Whether we are any further ahead in our understanding of the psychotic personality is debatable, however. The question of environment vs. genetics is a matter of contention in the study of serial killers, as is the question of power vs. pleasure motive. y looking…

Bibliography

Connor, T. (2004). "The Holmes typology of serial murder." Downloaded July 18, 2004 from Web site: http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/428/428lect06.htm

Douglas, J., Burgess, A., & Ressler, R. (1992). Crime Classification Manual. Lexington, MA:

Lexington Books.

Douglas, J., & Olshaker, M. (1999). Anatomy of Motive. New York: Pocket Books.

Serial Killers Are Not Common but They

Serial killers are not common, but they are fascinating because of the need to understand the phenomenon. There is no one definition of a serial killer, but there are some defining characteristics that set them apart from other murderers. Serial killers present serious issues for law enforcement, due to the tendency for serial killers to blend in easily and appear "normal." There is no one exact definition of a serial killer, from a legal, historical, psychological, or sociological viewpoint. "In the past thirty years, multiple definitions of serial murder have been used by law enforcement, clinicians, academia, and researchers," (Blackwelder, 2010). "There has yet to be a universally accepted definition for serial murder," Nelson (2004) Definitions have differed over time, and differ according to context and culture (Nelson, 2004). B. Definitions of serial killer differ on the grounds of: Minimum number of murders: in some cases is 2, in others…

Blackwelder, E. (2010). Serial killers: defining serial murder. Criminology Research Project. Retrieved online:   http://criminologyresearch.org/index.php?page=serial-killers-defining-serial-murder  

Lohr, D. Charles Manson is not a serial killer, experts say. Huffington Post. April 13, 2012. Retrieved online:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/charles-manson-is-not-a-serial-killer_n_1422172.html  

Morton, R.J. & Hilts, M.A. (Eds.) Serial Murder: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives for Investigtors. U.S. Department of Justice: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved online:   http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/serial-murder/serial-murder-july-2008-pdf  

"Myths about Serial Murder," (n.d.). Northeastern University. Retrieved online:   http://www.northeastern.edu/sccj/about/news_items/story5.html

Serial Killers Addictive Pathology it

Currently the DSM-IV refers to both these as antisocial personality disorder with the following criteria: A. Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 as indicated by at least three of the following: 1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behavior. 2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure. 3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead. 4. Irritability and aggressiveness. 5. Reckless disregard for the safety of self or others. 6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain work behavior or honor financial obligations. 7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by indifference to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another B. Individual is at least 18 years of age C. The occurrence of the behavior is not exclusively during the course of a schizophrenic…

Works Cited

Egger, Steven a. Serial Murder an Elusive Phenomenon. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers,

Giannangelo, Stephen J. The Psychopathology of Serial Murder a Theory of Violence.

Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1996

Holmes R. And De Burger J. Serial Murder, CA: Newbury Park, Sage. 1988

Serial Killers in Modern Society

A lot of the serial killers recognize that killing these people are wrong, this is true because when they are finished with their crime, they find some kind of way to dispose of the body. Conclusion In the end, it is a scary fact is that the United Sates is the most leading serial killing country in the entire world. It appears that no other country can even match the U.S. It is obvious that new serial killers or cases seem to be popping up every year which can cause quite a bit of a panic from people. It is also a slightly scary thing that there are more serial killers running around that there are police that would actually admit it. . As Pat Brown makes the point earlier in the essay, serial killers actually believe that they cannot get caught. There is an arrogant side to all of…

Brown, P. (2005). Killing for Sport. Beverly Hills: New Millennium

Ramsland, K. a. (2007, May 6). "Serial Killer Culture.." Retrieved Janurary 22, 2013

Ressler, R.K. (2007). I Have Lived in the Monster. New York: 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's P,.

Serial Killers Have Struck Fear in the

Serial killers have struck fear in the hearts of people, yet the public remains fascinated and intrigued by the crimes perpetrated by these individuals. There are several theories and factors that have been attributed to serial killers in an attempt to explain their behaviors. Furthermore, by identifying the behaviors that are exhibited by serial killers, law enforcement professionals are able to gather information about these serial killers that will assist in the apprehension of the criminal. In the majority of serial homicides, a motivating factor, in addition to domination and manipulation of a victim, is the sexual gratification and desire that is experienced by the serial killer. Serial killers murder individuals because they believe, and feel, that the act will fulfill them and they will continue to murder people as long as they can (Douglas 191). The definition of serial killer may be distinguished from that of a spree killer…

Arrigo, Bruce. Criminal Behavior: A Systems Approach. Upper Saddle Creek, New Jersey:

Pearson Education, 2006. Print.

Douglas, John. & Mark Olshaker. The Anatomy of Motive. New York: A Lisa Drew

Book/Scribner, 1999. Print.

Serial Killer Social Construction Theories a Serial

Serial Killer Social Construction Theories A serial killer can be defined as a person who kills more than four victims in a moderately short period of time usually 72 hours (Larson, 2011). Serial killings usually take place in different locations and have no connection with the preceding assassination. For a serial killer, substantial gain is not the drive for killing his victim. Instead, it is his craving of power and strength over the 'prey' that motivates him to take an innocent life (Giannangelo, 1996). There are a number of theories that have been propounded in order to understand the origins, foundations and causes of the social construction of a serial killer. The first theory that needs to be discussed is the Social Process Theory. The childhood experiences of a serial murderer contribute significantly in his making into an atrocious 'animal'. The personality of a serial murderer is seriously affected by…

Egger, S.A., Doney, R.H., Ford, D.A., Hickey, E.W., Kiger, K., & Vetter, H. (1990). Serial Murder: A Synthesis of Literature and Research. Serial Murder: An Elusive Phenomenon. Westport, CT: Praeger. Retrieved May 19, 2011, from   http://www.questia.com/  PM.qst?a=o&d=9449994

Giannangelo, S.J. (1996). The Psychopathology of Serial Murder: A Theory of Violence. Westport, CT: Praeger. Retrieved May 19, 2011, from

Serial Murderers Female Serial Killers

This is in direct contrast to male serial killers, who more often select random, unknown individuals as their victims (Mouzos & West, 2007). In fact, it is estimated that around 70% of female serial killers select family members or someone who is dependent on them as a victim. An example of this is both filicide and infanticide, which are crimes most commonly committed by women (Aki, 2003, cited in Mouzos & West, 2007). In addition to this, cases of health care professionals murdering their patients are women in around half of all cases, both in the U.S. And other countries (Yorker et al., 2006). The majority of these cases have occurred where the female in question was a nurse, murdering either children or elderly victims in their care. The explanation of this pattern is not clear, given that there is little in terms of extrinsic gains achieved. There is also…

Davis, C.A. (2001). Women who Kill: Profiles of Female Serial Killers. London: Allison and Busby Limited.

Frei, a., Vollm, B., Graf, M. & Dittmann, V. (2006). Female serial killing: Review and case report. Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, 16(3): 167-176.

Hickey, E.W. (2002). Serial Murderers and Their Victims. 3rd Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning.

Kraemer, G.W., Lord, W.D. & Helibrun, K. (2004). Comparing single and serial homicide offenses. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 22(3): 325-343.

Serial Killers Opening Statement Introduction

This is often seen as the most important aspect to focus on. However, it has also been realized that societal and cultural aspects can also influence the development of the serial killer. Psychological causes that are related to the psyche of the serial killer include the aforementioned Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Genetic predisposition and makeup are also given as a formative developmental cause of this crime. However, psychological and genetic aspects are often inadequate to explain the development of the serial killer. hile a convicted killer like Ted Bundy was subject to forms of psychological abuse as a child, yet one of the most notorious serial killers, Jeffery Dahmer, was "..., born to two parents who loved and wanted him. His child hood was a happy one. He loved animals, and did not have a bit of trouble. " However, "hen he reached the sixth grade, there was a downfall,…

Antisocial Personality Disorder. September 20, 2008.   http://www.karisable.com/crserial.htm  

Creekmore B. A psychological look into serial killers. September 20, 2008.   http://www.helium.com/items/203554-a-psychological-look-into-serial-killers  

Egger, Steven a., et al. Serial Murder: An Elusive Phenomenon. New York:

Praeger Publishers, 1990.

Serial Killers How to Identify Them

Serial Killers - Psychopathic Behavior One of the most common challenges impacting society, is determining when a person is showing psychopathic behavior. In the world of healthcare, these signs can underscore someone who is a serial killer that will strike out at the most vulnerable patients. This is the case with Kristen Gilbert. She was a respected nurse, who was known for her professionalism. However, between 1995 and 1996 over 40 people died on her watch. This raised concerns about her involvement in these incidents. (Farragher, 2000) After a lengthy investigation, she was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. It uncovered that Kristen was a very cold and calculating person. This led to her targeting veterans who trusted her and were unable to stand up for themselves. To fully understand the way the investigation evolved requires carefully examining the procedures, the role of the community,…

Farragher, Thomas (2000). Caregiver or killer? Boston Globe Online / Metro | Region. Retrieved from:   http://cache.boston.com/globe/metro/packages/nurse/part1.htm  

Phelps, M.W. (2003). Perfect poison: A female serial killer's deadly medicine. New York: Kensington Publishing Corporation

Schechter, H. (2006). The A to Z. Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Tynan, Truly (1999). Nurse reportedly has history of violence. Retrieved from:   http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19991204/NEWS/312049970&cid=sitesearch

All of these killers had problem childhoods, often including sexual abuse. Almost all of them had some kind of psychological disorder, and many were declared criminally insane. All the killers had a compulsion to continue killing. None of them stopped with one or two victims, in fact, the more they killed the more they wanted to kill. In addition, most of the male serial killers became increasingly violent and disturbed as they continued to kill. Authors Fox and Levin state, "It is commonplace for serial killers to increase the level of brutality as they get bored with less vicious behavior and as they grow more comfortable with murder. It is also not unusual for them to branch out to more respectable victims as they become convinced that they are smarter than the police and will never be apprehended" (Fox, and Levin 76). Most of the killers admitted to what they…

Fox, James Alan, and Jack Levin. Overkill: Mass Murder and Serial Killing Exposed. New York: Plenum Press, 1994.

Giannangelo, Stephen J. The Psychopathology of Serial Murder a Theory of Violence. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1996.

Kelleher, Michael D., and C.L. Kelleher. Murder Most Rare the Female Serial Killer. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998.

Methvin, Eugene H. "The Face of Evil." National Review 23 Jan. 1995: 34+.

Serial Killer Named Dennis Rader

Dennis ader (the BTK Killer) Dennis ader BTK: The Killer Serial killers can be defined as people who murder at least three people in at least three separate occasions over a span of time mainly to satisfy themselves psychologically. While many of them suffer from Antisocial Personality Disorder, they adapt and present a normal front to people around them - a state Hervey Cleckley refers to as 'mask of sanity'. Some of the murders may have some sexual aspect to them. The murders may have been executed in such a way that there was some common characteristic in them. This could be sex, occupation, race, etc. Nonetheless, the victim's and the serial killer's race is seldom the same (Vronsky, 2004). It is not yet known who exactly coined the term serial killer. Many believe that obert essler, an FBI agent, or obert D. Keppel may have been the one who…

LaBrode, R.T. (2007). Etiology of the psychopathic serial killer: An analysis of antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy, and serial killer personality and crime scene characteristics. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7(2), 151.

Bardsley, M., Bell, R., & Lohr, D. (n.d.). Legal Matters: Dennis Rader Update. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from Crime Library: http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/btk/42.html

Bardsley, M., Bell, R., & Lohr, D. (n.d.). The BTK Story. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from Crime Library: http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/btk/18.html

Bardsley, M., Bell, R., & Lohr, D. (n.d.). The Psychopathic Mind. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from Crime Library: http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/btk/40.html

Link Between Forensic Psychiatry Serial Killers and Mass Murderers

Serial and Mass Murders: Forensic Psychiatry at Its Best Forensic Psychiatry: Mass Murderers and Serial Killers The status of Forensic Psychiatry has suffered ignominy regarding its ethical standpoint and pragmatic effectiveness for far too long (Arboleda-Florez, 2006). That it has at all been able to gain significance as a super specialty has been mainly due to the diligent and sustained efforts of a few scattered handfuls of them who chose to brave the convicts and study prison inmates. Today, the contributions of such forensic super specialists in the legal proceedings are proving to have a major influence in lawsuits involving mass murders as well as serial murders. The journey of Forensic Psychiatric has greatly benefitted in medico-legal adjudications in recent times. From being able to cast an offender solely as a criminal to a mentally abnormal, as well as, that requires a different treatment than being simply banished from social…

Arboleda-Florez, J. (2006). Forensic psychiatry: contemporary scope, challenges and controversies. World Psychiatry, 5(2): 87 -- 91.

Pinals, D.A. (2005). Where two roads meet: restoration of competence to stand trial from a clinical perspective. Journal of Criminal and Civil Confinement; 31:81 -- 108.

Konrad, N. (2002). Prisons as new hospitals. Curr Opin Psychiatry; 15:582 -- 587.

Macculloch, M., John Bailey & Catherine Robinson. (1995). Mentally disordered attackers and killers: Towards a taxonomy. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry. Volume 6, Issue 1, pages 41-61

Signs of a Serial Killer as a Youth

Serial Killers Early Signs of a Serial Killer hile every serial killer is different, there are certain signs that tend to be common to them. Many of these signs are seen well before adulthood, some even as early as childhood. Some of the major signs include a tendency for aggressive behavior, a tendency to engage in sadist behavior, an obsession with examples of behavior linked to serial killing, and a lack of empathy for others. Each of these four major signs will now be looked at in more detail. One aspect of behavior that is common to serial killers is a tendency for aggressive behavior. Aggression is defined as "behavior intended to injure another person" (Seamon & Kenrick 592). This aggression can be physical, for example, in the form of hitting another person. It can also be non-physical, for example, calling someone a hostile name. Aggression often begins as early…

Butcher, J.N., Mineka, S., & Hooley, J.M. Abnormal Psychology. Boston: MA: Pearson Education.

Erikson, E.H. Identity: Youth and Crisis. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994.

Eron, L. The development of aggressive behavior from the perspective of a developing behaviorism. American Psychologist 42.5 (1987): 435-442.

Petersen, A.C. (1988). Adolescent development. Annual Review of Psychology 39: 583-608.

A Serial Killers Perspective in Victim Selection

Serial Killers and Victim Selection A serial killer is a term used to describe a person who undertakes a series of crimes exceeding three in number with the killing exhibiting a common characteristic (Knight & Zelda, 2006). The depicted common characteristic suggests the possibility that the murder crimes were undertaken by one person (Knight & Zelda, 2006). In the study of serial killers, criminologists have drawn links between the offenders and their victims. It is, however, notable that, between team serial killers and the individual murders, there exist some similarities and differences. Team serial killers are made up of two or more killers undertaking their operations as a team to select their victim, to subdue them and kill them. Both team and individual serials killers are said to derive pleasure and a sense of control over their victims as the victim displays a sense of fear and helplessness in the…

Bartels, R., & Ceri P. (2009). "The Social Construction of a Serial Killer.." Feminism & Psychology, 19(2), 267-280.

Knight, & Zelda, G. (2006). "Some Thoughts on the Psychological Roots of the Behavior of Serial Killers as Narcissists: An Object Relations Perspective.." Social Behavior and Personality, 34(10), 1189-1206.

Winter, & David. (2007). Construing the Construction Processes of Serial Killers and Other Violent Offenders: (The Analysis of Narratives.). Journal of Constructivist Psychology 20(1), 1-22.

Feminist Film Theory and Serial Killers

serial killers and feminism. The writer uses a book and a film to explore what the feminist film contributes to the understanding by society of serial killers. There were two sources used to complete this paper. Very few things strike fear in the hearts of Americans the way that serial killers do. Serial killers place terror in the hearts of many because of their very unpredictability. They strike without warning and there doesn't seem to be a logical reason for the pattern that they choose initially. Once the pattern begins to emerge there is often a reason or pattern for the choices the killer makes in victims, but initially it seems like nothing more than a crap shoot and people are afraid of their strikes. For many years people have studied the patterns and lives of serial killers in the effort to establish how they are created. Other studies are…

Clover, Carol. Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Princeton University Press, 1992.

Seltzer, Mark. Serial Killers: Death and Life in America's Wound Culture. Routledge Publisher 1998.

Female Serial Killers

Female Serial Killers Investigate criminal profiling used by the F.B.I. Of female serial killers and provide law enforcement with information on identifying them. While it is a fact that a male serial killer would commit murders based on sex, in other words, sex related crimes, a female serial killer is a much more complicated and complex character, whose motivations in committing the crime of murder is manifold and range over a wide variety of reasons. In most cases, the female serial killer often goes unnoticed and goes on committing her crimes, undetected, over a great number of years. She is quiet, methodical, and is able to plan and execute with precision, so successful at remaining hidden that, in all the years of American history, there has only been a single female serial killer who was identified as a serial killer. In general, a female serial killer rarely, if ever, commits…

Ahn, Karen. "Dressed to Kill: the Modern-day Female Serial Killer" Retrieved from http://www.mysterynet.com/buchanan/dressedtokill.shtml Accessed on 27 September, 2004

"Fact, Fiction, Fantasy, Fallacy" Retrieved from http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/profiling/profiling1/2.html?sect=20 Accessed on 27 September, 2004

"Female Serial Killers" (January 1, 2004) Retrieved from http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/428/428lect11.htm Accessed on 27 September, 2004

Kelleher, Michael D. Kelleher, C.L. "Female Serial Killers" Retrieved from   http://www.angelfire.com/sc3/cjrp/femalekillers.html   Accessed on 27 September, 2004

Female Serial Killers The notion of female serial killers often appears as the minority of cases in the history of serial murder and serial killers. It's as if there is a part of society that refuses to believe that women are just as capable of mass murder as some of the more horrific murderers of our time. Still, while we may not, off the top of our head, be able to list as many female serial killers as we can male ones, it is but a myth that female serial killers are far and few between. History is riddled with stories of female temptresses and murderers, like the legendary Hungarian Countess Elizabeth athory, who murdered women for fun, then bathed in their blood to retain her beauty. There is also the story of the lack Widows of Liverpool; a group of women in 1884 who were deemed by the Home…

Bailey, B. The Guiness Book of Crime

Guiness Publishing Ltd.: London, New York, 1999.

Brabin, A. The black widows of Liverpool: Angela Brabin uncovers the gruesome tale of serial murder committed by a group of women in the poorest districts of 19th-century Liverpool.

History Today, Oct, 2002. (online copy of print version found at: (www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1373/10_52/92404273/print.jhtml)

Ted Bundy -- Serial Killer Ted Bundy

Ted Bundy -- Serial Killer Ted Bundy: Serial Killer Theodore obert Bundy aka Ted Bundy, was born Theodore obert Cowell to Louise Cowell on November 24, 1946 in Burlington, Vermont at the Elizabeth Lund Home for Unwed Mothers. After spending eight weeks in the home Louise went to her parents house to raise her son in Philadelphia. Ted Bundy, serial killer grew up believing that his mother was his sister and his grandparents were his parents until in 1951 when Louise and Ted moved to Tacoma, Washington where Louise married Johnnie Bundy, a military cook. Ted Bundy was handsome wel liked and a good students. Following school Ted attended the University of Puget Sound and although he achieved academically he felt inferior to his classmates who were mostly a group of wealthy individuals. Ted Bundy's first love was a girl with long brunette hair and this young lady jilted him…

Marshall, Sara (2013) The Earthly Remains: Revisiting Ted Bundy. The Order of the Good Death. Retrieved from:   http://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/the-earthly-remains-revisiting-ted-bundy  

Montaldo, C. (2010) Serial Killer Ted Bundy. About.com. Retrieved from: http://crime.about.com/od/serial/p/tedbundy.htm

Saltzman, Rachelle H. "This Buzz is for You': Popular Responses to the Ted Bundy Execution." Journal of Folklore Research. 32.2 (1995): 101-119. Web. 21 December 2012.

Black Widows Female Serial Killers

Doss met third husband Arlie Lanning through the lonely hearts column. Lanning died of apparent heart failure, but the house, which Lanning had left to his sister, burned down, leaving the insurance proceeds for Doss. Before Doss left town, Lanning's mother died in her seat. Doss had gone to her sister Dovie's house, and, shortly after Doss' arrival, Dovie died in her sleep. Doss married fourth husband ichard Morton, poisoned her mother, and then killed Morton. Doss married Samuel Doss, and killed him four months after their marriage. Doss had taken out two life insurance policies on her husband. The doctor ordered an autopsy because of the life insurance policies, and the cause of death was determined to be poison. When Nannie was arrested, she maintained an eerily cheerful demeanor for the public. She giggled and laughed, not showing remorse for her actions, or even seeming to clearly comprehend what…

Brown, P. (2009). Serial killer myths exposed. Retrieved October 5, 2009 from Crime Library

Web site:   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/profiling/s_k_myths/2.html  

Geringer, J. (2009). Belle Gunness. Retrieved October 6, 2009 from Crime Library

Web site:   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/history/gunness/index_1.html

Nature vs Nurture and the Serial Killer

Allely, C., Minnis, H., Thompson, L., Wilson, P., Gillberg, C. (2014). Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass murderers. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(3): 288-301. The researchers in this study conduct a meta-analysis of relevant literature including academic studies and legal sources in order to assess the "complex interaction of biological, psychological, and sociological factors" that contribute to the making of a serial killer (p. 288). What the study finds is that a "significant proportion of mass or serial killers have had neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder or head injury" (p. 288). This finding indicates that nature plays a distinct role in the motivation of serial killers. However, it is important to note that correlation does not equate to causation and the study merely depicts a correlation between autism spectrum disorder and serial killing: it does not assert that the former is the cause of…

Psychology of Serial Killers Brain

There is a lot that we do not know about serial killers. There is a lot that we will never know, that no study, psychological evaluation or case study would ever be able to tell people. Criminal and behavior profiling is a start, but there will always be limitations and gaps in any research involving someone's mind, especially a mind as seemingly complex in nature as that of a serial killer. A lack of guilt, a lack of feeling and sensitivity and the ability to derive joy from the pain and suffering of another is the type of thing that psychologists will probably never be able to fully understand. The next, and most critical step in the field of serial killer profiling may be a behavioral analysis. There are many different types of serial killers out there and only a further evaluation into the brains of different types of killers…

Dalal, J.S. "A Case Study of Serial Killers." Journal of Punjab Academy of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology. 9.2 (2009): 109-113.

Knight, Z. (2006). Some thoughts on the psychological roots of the behavior of serial killers. Social Behavior & Personality: An

International Journal, 34(10), 1189-1206.

Soothill, K, & Wilson, D. (2005). Theorizing the puzzle that is harold shipman. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 16(4), 685-698.

Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations

Some of the 'tools of trade' a killer could incorporate to torture his victims as he seeks to facilitate his perversion include but they are not limited to "leather slave collars, handcuffs, cigarette lighters, whips, and adhesive or duct tape" (Keppel and Birnes, 2008). Information about Torture: Its elevance in Understanding a Killer's Signature Peter Sutcliffe, yet another brutal and sadistic serial killer, can be seen as a classic example of those who went far than it was necessary to kill their victims. In some cases, killers tend to engage in a variety of other actions beyond the actual crime. These actions could include but they are not limited to unnecessary stabbing and some kind of bondage or binding. Peter Sutcliffe for instance was popular for repeatedly stabbing and slashing his victims. Signature killers in the words of Flowers (2006) "tend to leave behind a 'calling card' or psychological signature…

Barkan, S. & Bryjak, G. (2011). Fundamentals of Criminal Justice: A Sociological View (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Flowers, R.B. (2006). Sex Crimes: Perpetrators, Predators, Prostitutes, and Victims (2nd ed.). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas.

Keppel, R.D. & Birnes, W.J. (2008). Serial Violence: An Analysis of Modus Operandi and Signature Characteristics of Killers. New York: Taylor & Francis Group.

Keppel, R.D. & Birnes, W.J. (2003). The Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations: The Grisly Business Unit. California: Academic Press.

Orbitofrontal Cortex and the Serial Killer According

Orbitofrontal Cortex and the Serial Killer According to Portales, "what lies behind the eyes" of the serial killer "is the key to his psychopathy." The orbitofrontal cortex is the neural region directly behind the eyes and is the last to develop. Portales quotes authoritative research that, due to childhood traumatic experiences, in some individuals the ortbitofrontal cortex -- the tool judgment and decision making -- may never completely develop: "individuals who have had damage to [this] area can observe social situations, but fail to respond to these situations in an appropriate manner." Damage can be caused through various factors including head trauma, physical abuse, emotional neglect, and antisocial parenting, many, if not all of these, introduced early in the child's development. What happens as a result is stagnated prefrontal development where emotion overrules reasoning and individuals give in to their craving. In the case of the sexual predator, for instance,…

Portales, A. Behind the Monsters' Eyes The Role of the Orbitofrontal Cortex in Sexually Psychopathic Serial Crime. Retrieved on 8/14/2011from:

  http://www.wc.edu/programs/science/forensic/files/uplink/2006_05_04VFJspecial.pdf

Craig Price Confessions of a Teenage Serial Killer

Craig Price The story of Craig Price is tragic, violent and troubling. For these very reasons it is important to investigate this man's life and childhood in order to better understand the effects of juvenile delinquency and how they possibly related to his behavior. The purpose of this paper is to describe and postulate how Craig Price's violent behavior relates to theories of juvenile delinquency and how he developed into a killer and a significant terror and burden to society. I will examine this case by providing background information and then applying three separate general theories of juvenile delinquency including, rational choice theory, social understanding theory and labeling theory. Included in each analysis will be the important factors in each theory that correspond or do not correspond to Price's case. BACKGROUND INFORMATION In September of 1989 three dead bodies were found in arwick RI. In an investigation into the serial…

Bell, R. (2004). Craig Price: confessions of a teenage serial killer. Crime Library, viewed 3 Dec, 2012. Retrieved from   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/craig_price/index.html  

DuRant, R.H., & Cadenhead, C. (1994, April). Factors associated with the use of violence among urban black adolescents. Journal of Public Health, 84, 4.

"Juvenile Delinquency." United Nations World Youth Report 2003. Retrieved from   http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/documents/ch07.pdf  

Lahey, B. et al. (2003). Cases of Conduct Disorder and Juvenile Delinquency. Guilford Press, New York. Retrieved from http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/soc/faculty/sampson/articles/2003_CausesConductOr der_Wikstrom.pdf

Green River Serial Killer the Investigation Into

Green River Serial Killer The investigation into the case of the Green River killer stretched from 1982 to 2001, before Gary Ridgway was finally arrested for murdering 48 women. Ridgway's case is distinguished by the length and expense of the homicide investigation. This paper examines the investigation into the case of the Green River killer. Early years The so-called Green River killings got their name in 1982, when the first victims were found. From July through to December of that year, 16 young women disappear from the areas around Seattle and Tacoma, ashington. Six bodies are later found in the Green River in Kent, ashington, dead of strangulation. During this time, Gary Ridgway lived in just three miles from the Green River ("Gary Leon Ridgway timeline"). The Green River killings continue through 1983, including eight women who were later found near a cemetery in Auburn. Most of the missing women…

Burns, Kari Sable. "Green River Killer - DNA Technology." 2003. Available online at   http://www.karisable.com/greenriverdnatime.htm  

Gary Leon Ridgway timeline." King County Journal. November 7, 2003. available online at   http://www.kingcountyjournal.com/sited/story/html/148308  

Kershaw, Sarah. "New discoveries move Green River case to Fore again." New York Times. September 22, 2003.

Smolowe, Jill. "Catching the Green River killer." People. November 24, 2003. Proquest Database.

To begin with, the violence Sutcliffe meted out to his unfortunate victims was largely sexualized. Apart from being exclusively women, most of Sutcliffe's victims were prostitutes. Further, it can also be noted that in most cases, Sutcliffe first and foremost sought to render his victims incapable of defending themselves. This in most cases he accomplished by striking them with a hammer. Most of Sutcliffe's attacks also seem to have been planned well in advance. This is more so the case given the similarity of all his victims as well as use of similar weapons in his attack. ussell's murders on the other hand had several characteristics which did not match any of the other HITS database murders (Keppel and Birnes 2008). These characteristic had to do with victims' body posing, preferred method of body disposal and foreign objects insertion (sexual) into a victim's body (Keppel and Birnes 2008). What the…

Crime and Investigation Network. (2011). Peter Sutcliffe: The Yorkshire Ripper. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from the Crime and Investigation Network website:   http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/peter-sutcliffe   -- the-yorkshire-ripper/arrest.html

National Policing Improvement Agency. (2010). History of the Business Perspective for Major Investigations. The Journal of Homicide and Major Incident Investigation. 6(1), 37-39.

Behavior of a Serial Killer Many People

behavior of a serial killer? Many people attribute genetics to some of the actions of a serial killer, but is environment more of a determining factor? People who usually kill have had very traumatic childhoods. And although in some cases genes may have led to a faster decline in a person's psyche than a regular person, it begs to ask if people are made into monsters vs. simply being born one. A case that comes to mind is the woman who worked as a prostitute and killed her clients as a means of retribution for the damage inflicted upon her in her life by men. Her trauma and destitution fueled her desire to even the playing field and force herself to become something she and a couple others feel will end the pain of their existence. Second Response: It is quite clear that what parents do during the existence of…

Serial Killers and the Media

Serial Killers and the Media: How the Media Affects the Investigation and Public Perception of Serial Killers Serial killers are one of the most widely covered criminal types in the media, even though the majority of criminals do not fit this profile. Often the psychology and methods of serial killers are sensationalized in the media. Serial killers have also figured prominently as popular characters in film and cinema. This raises some problematic questions about the coverage of serial killers, however. First, is too much attention given to them, versus other, less cinematic crimes? Secondly, does the media attention fuel the desire within some potential perpetrators to commit crimes? Of course, the idea that coverage of violent crimes can lead to the perpetuation of violence is not a new one: As noted by Conti (2015) “….what the scientific literature has found—almost universally—is that there is a very small but statistically significant…

Social construction theories on'serial killers

Criminology researchers usually draw on multiple sociological theories for understanding crime and offenders. Certain elements of serial-killing research continue to be a subject of speculation and exploration, on account of the numerous preconceptions and myths surrounding the crime. The significance of establishing a theoretic basis to explain sociological factors proves crucial to distinguishing between fact and fiction (Hickey, 2013). Social Structure Theory This class of theories concentrates on the socioeconomic status of a person and suggests that the poor perpetrate more offenses owing to their struggle to achieve social or monetary success. They are, particularly owing to their subcultural, racial, or ethnic status, restricted in several ways from lawfully attaining the great “American Dream\". Thus, they resort to deviant techniques to succeed. Structural theories provide convincing justifications for numerous offenses, with the exception of serial killing. Normally, serial killers lack financial or social motivation, and aren’t members of any specific…

Criminal Justice Classifying Serial Killers

Thus, the justice system must clearly distinguish between mental illness and insanity. Psychiatrists and other professionals can aid judge and jury in making the distinction. Reserving the insanity plea for clear instances of psychotic breaks and other reasonable diagnoses would help prosecutors effectively try their cases. Even if not deemed legally insane, a serial killer is certainly morally and ethnically insane. For all reasonable, non-judicial purposes, a serial killer is as insane as a human being can be. If someone who kills indiscriminately, systematically, and often with pleasure is not insane then who is? The lack of compassion for other human beings and the lack of emotion that characterizes the sociopath is one of the most chilling phenomenon of criminology. In the courtroom, a serial killer will not meet the definition of insanity even if labeled psychopathic. Therefore the definition of insanity depends on the context.

Portraying Serial Killers as Celebrities Heroes and Icons in Modern Media Forms

Analysis of Psycho Alfred Hitchcock directed a movie called Psycho in 1960. The movie is a horror laced with lots of psychological suspense. The movie storyline is developed from Psycho, a novel written by Robert Block and published in 1959. The novel, on its part, drew inspiration from Ed Gein murders. Psycho has been widely regarded as the first-ever slasher film. Although it got mixed reviews at the onset, it is now considered one of the greatest films produced by Hitchcock, and indeed one of the greatest films of all time. Indeed, Antony Perkins, the Ed Gein (Norman Bates), was rated the second-best movie villain of all time by the American Film Institute (Gorshin, 2014). According to common parlance, Norman Bates suffers from Disassociate Identity Disorder ( DID), which was earlier known as multiple personality disorder. This view is interesting in all its weight and breadth. It is also a…

Btk Killer Dennis Rader

Dennis ader, BTK Killer There are few things in society today that horrify or fascinate us as much as serial killers. Murderers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer fill us with fear while also inspiring us to study them and use them as subjects of fiction. Indeed, fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan has millions of fans across the world. When examining the lives an actions of these killers, it is always interesting and shocking to see how easily they blended into their social contexts before their actions were know. A common reaction to the exposure and capture of such a serial killer is often one of disbelief, accompanied by cries to the effect that "he was such a quiet, nice person." This was also the case with Dennis Lynn ader, a serial killer who committed his first murder in 1974, but was only caught, convicted, and incarcerated in 2005. ader…

Blanco, J.I. (n.d.) Dennis Rader -- BTK Killer -- A Biography. Retrieved from:   http://dennisraderbtk.blogspot.com/  

Bryant, M. (2005, May 30). The Murderer Next Door. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved from:   http://www.utexas.edu/features/2005/murder/  

CI Network (2013). Dennis Rader: The BTK Killer. Retrieved from:   http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/dennis-rader-the-btk-killer  /biography.html

Mann, D. (2013). Portrait of a Psychopath. WebMD. Retrieved from:   http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/portrait-of-psychopath

Green River Killer

Green iver Killer In 1982, the remains of a number of young women started to show up in the area surrounding Seattle. These women were all relatively young and shared a lifestyle, prostitution and street life, that made them easy targets for a killer. Before the slayings officially ended in 1998, a total of 42 women would be thought to be potential victims of the Green iver Killer with the potential for many more being added to the list. Some believe that as many as 90 women may have been murdered by Gary idgeway. idgeway eluded police for almost two decades, even though he was a suspect in several of the disappearances, and was finally caught as a result of DNA evidence garnered from some of his earliest victims. This paper looks at the early life of Gary idgeway as it applies to the case, the murders themselves, how forensic…

Douglas, J. (2007). Interviewing murderers and suspects: Learn about the crime and the killer. The Forensic Examiner, 16(2), 44-51.

Guillen, T., & Smith, C. (2003, Nov 6). What went wrong? Police at first failed to notice a pattern. The Seattle Times. Retrieved from   http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/local/greenriver/1987/part1.html  

Lackey, B., Jones, C., & Johnson, J. (2005). Gary Leon Ridgeway: Green River Killer. Retrieved http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Ridgway,%20Gary %20-%202005.pdf

Lewis, J.A., & Cuppari, M. (2009). The polygraph: The truth lies within. Journal of Psychiatry & Law, 37(1), 85-92.

Criminal Justice - Profiling Serial

The perpetrator may even have a documented prior criminal history involving physical or sexual assaults of victims with some of the same characteristics as the current series of victims. More likely than not, the perpetrator is a product of a home in which children witnessed physical abuse of their mother and/or experienced physical abuse themselves. The fact that all but one victim shows evidence that the force used in the murder far exceeded that necessary to achieve death by strangulation suggests that the perpetrator possesses a significant amount of anger, even rage, at someone represented by his victims. The fact that all but one of the victims suffered a broken neck suggests that the perpetrator is more likely under the age of 50 than older, and more likely either a large or physically robust individual or both. uggested Investigatory Focus: Based on preliminary analysis of the behavioral evidence, it is…

Sources Consulted

Gerrig, R., Zimbardo, P. (2005) Psychology and Life 17th Edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Innes, B. (2007) Serial Killers: The Stories of History's Most Evil Murderers. London: Quercas.

Schmalleger, F. (2001) Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. Hoboken, NJ: Prentice Hall

Ethics Media's Role in Btk Killer Case

Media's Role in the BTK Killer Case There have been several serial murder cases which feature killers who play with the attention of the public through their manipulation of the media for various reasons. However, with the actual publication of messages supposedly from mass murderers, the ethical role of the media is put to the test. Many believe that publishing these messages increases the chances of catching the murderer in question; but in the case of the BTK Killer in ichita Kansas, the publication of such messages by a local newspaper The Eagle provided little information to law enforcement officials and an arrest was made decades after the onslaught of the murders. Examples such as these show how publishing such communications may in fact be too much information for the public to handle and at the same time just continues to encourage the killer to commit more and more violent…

Maher, Kelly J. "Media Ethics: Media's Role in BTK Case Questioned." University of Minnesota. Study of Media Ethics and Law. www.silha.umn.edu.5. May. 2008.   http://www.silha.umn.edu/Winter%202005%20Bulletin/Media%20Ethics%20Role%20in%20BTK%20Case.pdf  

Merritt, Davis, Mccombs, Maxwell. The Two W's of Journalism: The What and Why of Public Affairs Reporting. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2004.

Theodore Robert Bundy the Serial

That victim survived. A month later, Bundy broke into Lynda Ann Healy's room, beat her unconscious, dressed her, kidnapped her, and then took her to a location where he killed her and sexually assaulted her. Several other young women fell victim to Bundy while he was in Washington. Sometimes he faked an injury, specifically a broken arm or a broken leg, to get the women close enough to him to kidnap. When Bundy moved to Utah for law school in 1974, the disappearances in Washington stopped and a string of kidnappings, rapes and murders began in Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. While he used a variety of means to kill the women, most of them were bludgeoned to death. In August 1975, Bundy was arrested when a police officer noticed several disturbing items during a routine traffic stop. They could not get sufficient evidence to charge him, but began building a…

Portrait of a Killer Jack

On one hand he was portrayed by the Cornwell was the killer of the prostitutes while on the other Sickert was a staunch defender of the sanctity of marriage and reportedly even fired one of his most important dealers for dumping his wife of 25 years for a younger woman. Sickert's wife even gave evidence that the last thee killings by the ipper were committed in London in a time when Walter had gone to France while Cornwell did not agree. Alibis have important place in criminal investigation cases. Similarly, eye witnesses also have their importance. The eye witnesses in case of Jack the ipper gave a different description of the killer as compared to the appearance of Sickert while Cornwell dismissed such accounts with the point-of-view that he must have created a different appearance using different materials like dark grease paint, hair dye etc. In most criminal investigations the…

Jack the Ripper, the Dialectic of Enlightenment and the Search for Spiritual Deliverance in White Chappell Scarlet Tracings. Contributors: Alex Murray - author. Journal Title: Critical Survey. Volume: 16. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2004. Page Number: 52+.

Nickell, J. (March-April, 2003). The strange case of Pat the Ripper - Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell - book review. Available at   http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_2_27/ai_98252936/pg_1

Grim Sleeper There Is a

He was arrested the next day, Steinhauer continues. Meanwhile, when police were investigating Franklin's residence and his garage in back of his house, they discovered "about 1,000 photographs and hundreds of hours of video footage of women," Blankstein reported. Some of the images were just "innocent snapshots" but others showed women in "various states of undress and in sexual poses," Blankstein wrote. Because detectives feared that some of the women in those photos may have been killed too, they reviewed and researched records of unsolved murders. hen they were not able to link many of the photos (except two) to killings, the LAPD decided to release the photos to the Los Angeles Times. In January, 2011, the Los Angeles Times printed the photos (only using the faces) of 160 women on the front page of the newspaper. The LAPD posted the photos on their ebsite. In a few days 200…

Blankstein, Andrew, and Winton, Richard (2011). Grim Sleeper didn't 'sleep,' LAPD says.

The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 12, 2011, from   http://www.latimes.com  .

Blankstein, Andrew, and Winton, Richard. (2011). LAPD officials doubt there was gap in 'Grim Sleeper' serial killings. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 11, 2011, from

American Psycho in His Seminal Work American

American Psycho In his seminal work American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis uses the character of the yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman in order to criticize American consumer culture while simultaneously challenging the reader to confront his or her own responses to that culture, responses that Ellis seems to suggest are only removed from the sociopathic actions of Bateman in a manner of degree, rather than kind. To see how Ellis uses the character of Patrick Bateman to explore the dual role of the serial killer as liberated individual and microcosmic representation of society, one may compare Bateman to the real life serial killer John ayne Gacy, who managed to keep his multiple murders a secret for the better part of the 1970s. Examining Bateman's characterization alongside the history of Gacy's murders and seemingly normal civilian life will help to demonstrate how the fascination with the two-faced killer ultimately stems from…

Campbell, John W. "Professional Wrestling: Why the Bad Guy Wins." The Journal of American

Culture 19.2 (1996): 127-32.

Ellis, Bret Easton. American Psycho. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.

Hantke, Steffen. "the Kingdom of the Unimaginable": The Construction of Social Space and the Fantasy of Privacy in Serial Killer Narratives." Literature/Film Quarterly 26.3 (1998):

Theory Discussed Attempt Explain a Real Criminal

theory discussed attempt explain a real criminal crimes. Gary Ridgeway America's notorious serial killers. Your assignment analyze Ridgeway's criminal life Hans Eysenck's theory Personality. hen considering Gary Leon Ridgway's (The Green River Killer) criminal case in the context of Hans J. Eysenck's theory on personality and crime, one is likely to observe a series of parallels between the murderer's personality and behavior and a series of events that occurred throughout his life up to the moment when he became a serial killer. Eyseneck considered that genetics plays an important role in shaping one's personality and this thus points toward the belief that Ridgway was probably influenced by biological factors when he put across criminal thinking. According to Eyseneck, individuals like Ridgway have a neurophysiologic structure that influences them to express certain attitudes when they come across particular circumstances. hile someone might be inclined to think otherwise consequent to consulting the…

Works cited:

Hadden, B, & Luce, H.R. (2002). Time, Volume 159.

Putwain, D., & Sammons, A. (2013). Psychology and Crime. Routledge.

Marsh, I. (2006). Theories of Crime. Routledge.

Morehead, P. (2012). The Green River Serial Killer. eBookIt.com.

David Berkowitz Known as Son

She notified police and the parking ticket (because Berkowitz had parked too close to a fire hydrant) was traced to Berkowitz. But the police were just thinking that Berkowitz might be a witness; however, when the Yonkers police searched that Galaxie belonging to Berkowitz, they found a rifle and a .44 caliber Bulldog pistol -- along with detailed maps of the crime scenes that Berkowitz had created with his lust for killing women. "hat took you so long?" Berkowitz is reported to have asked as the officers arrested him. In time during questioning, Berkowitz either played like he was mentally unbalanced -- which he of course was -- or was just rambling because he claimed that the dog he had killed was possessed by some kind of demon, and that the dog was demanding that Berkowitz go and do the killing. Other claims by Berkowitz included that he was a…

Breslin, Jimmy. (1993). 25th Anniversary. New York Magazine, 26(16), 153-154.

Brogaard, Berit. (2012). The Making of a Serial Killer / the Superhuman Mind. Psychology Today. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from   http://www.psychologytoday.com  .

Caputi, Jane. (1987). The Age of Sex Crime. Madison, WI: Popular Press.

Crossman, Ashley. (2013). Labeling Theory. About.com. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from   http://sociology.about.com  .

Jeffery Dahmer

Dahmer Forensic Analysis Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer Crime Scene and Discovery Never before has egregious police incompetence hindered the apprehension of a serial killer as in the case of Jeffrey Dahmer. When police were called to investigate an alleged domestic disturbance between Konerak Sinthasomophone and Jeffrey Dahmer on May 27, 1991. Although two women came to the aide of Sinthasomophone and urged police to look further into the alleged dispute, the police ignored their pleas and Dahmer was able to convince them that Sinthasomophone was his 19-year-old lover; if police had bothered to check Sinthasomophone's identification they would have seen that he was in fact only 14 years old (ardsley, n.d.). Having convinced the police that Sinthasomophone and he were in the midst of a lovers' quarrel, Sinthasomophone was released into Dahmer's custody and by the end of the night, Sinthasomophone would become Dahmer's 13th victim (ardsley, n.d.). Dahmer would proceed…

Bardsley, M. (n.d.). Jeffrey Dahmer. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from TruTV:   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/dahmer/index.html  

Benedict, J. (2004). No Bone Unturned: Inside the World of a Top Forensic Scientist and His Work on America's Most Notorious Crimes and Disasters. New York: Harper Collins .

Copeland, L. (2002, May 31). Skeleton Keys: Smithsonian Anthropologists Unlock Secrets in Bones of Ancestors and Crime Victims. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from Washington Post:   http://911research.wtc7.net/cache/planes/evidence/washingtonpost_skeletonkeys.html  

Crime and Investigation Network. (n.d.). Jeffrey Dahmer. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from   http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/jeffrey-dahmer/crime.html

Life of Dennis Rader

Dennis ader (BTK Killer) Dennis ader who is commonly as the BTK killer was born in Kansas in 1945 and was the first born of four siblings born to William and Dorothea ader. He is renowned as an American serial killer who carried out the murder of 10 individuals in Sedgwick County between 1974 and 1991 around Wichita, Kansas. Dennis ader's nickname as BTK killer or BTK strangler is derived from the method he used in killing his victims. In essence, ader used bind, torture and kill to execute his serial murders, which resulted in his nickname as BTK killer. Dennis ader derived great joy and pleasure from killing to an extent that he wanted his nickname on the list of the worst serial killers across the globe. Similar to most depraved serial killers, the BTK killer or BTK strangler covered his demon behind an ordinary human's facade. Dennis ader's…

Anderson, P. (2014, October 7). Dennis Rader -- aka the 'BTK Killer' -- Wanted His Nickname

on the List of the World's Worst Serial Killers. Herald Sun. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from   http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/dennis-rader-aka-the-btk-killer-wanted-his-nickname-on-the-list-of-the-worlds-worst-serial-killers/story-fni0ffnk-1227082442236?nk=3951385106e690efb9c641a717d17e8a  

Blanco, J.I. (n.d.). Dennis Lynn Rader. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from   http://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/rader-dennis.htm  

"Dennis Rader Biography." (n.d.). Biography. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from   http://www.biography.com/people/dennis-rader-241487#synopsis

Biological and Psychological Determinism Theories

Environmental determinism relies on the importance of the physical environment around the individual in relation to that individual's behavior. Applying the ideas of environmental determinism to serial murder means that one would believe the physical environment of a murderer would be the most influential factor which determines them to kill. However; this more generalized theory does not fully account for why a murderer would commit mass or multiple murders. ather, like many other generalized theories attempting to explain seemingly senseless violence, it just poses a theory for why individuals would be driven to kill in the first place. The trauma-control model, formulated by Hickey, gives a more in depth look at why individuals would turn from murderers to serial murderers. According to this model, individuals can harbor intense feelings of depression and rejection. As these feelings are amplified throughout life, that individual's tendency to engage in abnormal behaviors would increase.…

Egger, Steven. Serial Murder: An Illusive Phenomenon. Praeger Publishers. 1990.

Purcell, Catherine E., Arrigo, Bruce a. The Psychology of Lust Murder: Paraphernalia,

Sexual Killing, and Serial Homicide. 1st ed. Academic Press. 2006.

Zodiac Speaking Into the Mind

Douglas states that one of the most complicated in which the geography of a series of murders seemed to play a part, was that of the Zodiac killer (Profiling and Geography). Furthermore, in a study of 300 serial killers, it was found that 2.3% had turned themselves in, one way or another. However, this does not include those who might have made mistakes as a subconscious way to reveal themselves, but only those who initiated police awareness of them. There are many interpretations of their intent, and even as to their actual guilt, but it's nevertheless an error to say they never do it (the Myth). From the evidence in this paper, it is clear that if a child is left alone, or forced to live in isolation, their minds become the object of their company, which begins the daydreams and the fantasy world (Ressler, Douglas and Burgess, 1990). Isolation…

Dr Gary Kaniuk Consultation Triage & Testimony

Dr. Gary Kaniuk Consultation Triage & Testimony in Forensic Psychology Yvette Riley Female Serial Killers -- An ntroduction The heinous act of murder has been outlawed by various authorities, states, jurisdictions, and by many religions for thousands of years. One of the best known of the Ten Commandments ("Thou Shalt Not Kill") is explicitly clear on killing. But when the perpetrator kills more than one person, and continues the killing at intervals, it is called serial killing and that is the subject of this research. given that only one out of every six serial killers is female, there has been a lack of understanding and also a lack of empirical research that leads to a better understanding of these hideous crime sprees by females. That dearth of knowledge should be supplemented with more research. Female Serial Killers -- Data & Histories in the Literature The Federal Bureau of nvestigation (FB)…

In their research the authors reference Hickey (1986) who studied 34 cases of female serial killers between the years 1795 and 1988; half of those serial killers had a male accomplice and the average age of the women was 33 years. Six of the 34 women were nurses, which fits the FBI category "angel of death" (Frei, 169). The authors also reference studies by Wilson and Hilton (1998), who analyzed 105 female serial killers; they found that the "preferred means of killing was poisoning" (Frei, 169). Meanwhile a study of 86 cases in the U.S. (Kelleher and Kelleher, 1998) found that the most common victims were "...children, the elderly or spouses"; the majority of women doing the killing in these cases were "black widows" and they had active killing sprees that lasted more than ten years (Frei, 169). Why do women become serial killers? "Psychopathic traits and grossly abusive childhood experiences" have consistently been described as reasons for these crimes in both male and female serial murderers (Frei, 169).

The Case of Aileen Wuornos

Aileen Wuornos is a notorious serial killer whose story can be found in many journals and law enforcement documents. In the Journal of Criminal Justice Research & Education the authors describe Wuornos as the "first predatory female serial killer" who was a Florida prostitute and killed the men she picked up as "Johns" (Weatherby, et al., 2008). In a twelve-month period -- from December, 1989 to November, 1990 -- it was reported that Wuornos killed seven male "johns" (Weatherby). After being charged with six

Home Invasion and Crime Spree

Facts about the Cheshire Murders The Cheshire murders were the Connecticut home invasion that occurred on July 23, 2007. Jennifer Hawke-Petit, wife of Dr. William Petit and her two daughters were brutally killed. Her daughter was raped and killed while Dr. William managed to escape, although, he was injured during the home invasion. (Daily Mail). Typically, the case was the most widely publicized case in the history of Connecticut because of the nature of the killings. The two daughters of the couple were Hayes aged 17 and Michael 11, were tied to the bed, suffocated and the house was set on fire. The Haye's confession proved that the two criminals had planned to rob the house in the dark. However, the police were able to arrest the penetrator named Steven J. Hayes and Joshua A. Komisarjevsky. Sentence Defendants Receive During the trial, the jury deliberated on the evidence against them.…

Psycho 1960 Film Movie Analysis

Movie Analysis: Psycho (1960 film) The movie's most relevant cast for this discussion includes Norman, Norman's mother (Mrs. Bates), and Marion. After the death of his dad, Norman becomes entirely dependent on the love, attention, and support of his mother. It is for this reason that when she (Norman's mother) takes in a lover, Norman feels as if he is no longer a priority in his mother's life -- he feels as if he has been replaced. Apparently, he can't stand sharing her and as a result of his intense jealousy, he ends up killing not only his mother's lover but also his mother, through poisoning. However, he elects to preserve the corpse instead of having it buried -- in what could be seen as an attempt to perpetuate the illusion that his mother is not dead but is, instead, still alive. As a consequence, he begins to not only…

Hickey, Erick W. Serial Murderers and their Victims. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.

Jenkins, Philip. Using Murder: The Social Construction of Serial Homicide. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2009. Print.

Created With an Aim to

However, this made Andrei use physical torture as means of controlling her which later lead to him killing her by hitting her head constantly. His aim was not to have a casual sex with the victim but to kill her and satisfy his physical needs, which he discovered during his previous thrilling encounter. He also showed abnormal behaviors after sexual assault when he chewed and swallowed away one of the victim's nipples. The dead body of Larissa was found the next day with no clue of the murderer. His second victim was a thirteen-year-old girl named Liyuba Biryuk, which was followed on from a bus stop. The killing took place in June 1982 by introducing several stabs to the body including the eyes. The body was found two weeks later with no sign or clue. Two more youths were victimized in July, two in September and one in December (Jenkins,…

Askenasy, Hans. Cannibalism: from sacrifice to survival. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1994.

Fido, Martin and David Southwell. True Crime. London: Carlton, 2010.

Jenkins, Philip. Using Murder. Chicago: Transaction Publishers, 1994.

Philbin, Tom and Michael Philbin. The Killer Book of Serial Killers. Chicago: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2009.

Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Crime Scene and Discovery When the police were called to search John Wayne Gacy's home in Des Plaines, Illinois on December 13, 1978, they were not aware that their investigation into the disappearance of fifteen-year-old Robert Piest would lead them to uncover some of the most grisly murders committed in the United States (Evans, 2007). Piest was last seen leaving a pharmacy where Gacy, then working as a contractor, had recently completed a remodeling job (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012). Three hours after his disappearance, his mother, Elizabeth Piest, notified the Des Plaines Police Department and Lt. Joseph Kozenczak was tasked with leading the investigation (Sullivan & Maiken, 1983, p. 7; ell & ardsley, n.d.). During his initial investigation, Lt. Kozenczak learned that Gacy had recently offered Piest a job and proceeded to go to Gacy's home, located at 8213 Summerdale Ave, to…

Associated Press. (2011, October 13). Detectives exhume bodies of eight unknown victims of 'Serial-killer Clown' John Wayne Gacy in bid to identify remains. Retrieved June 9, 2012, from Mail Online:   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2048363/John-Wayne-Gacy-Detectives-exhume-bodies-8-unknown-victims.html  

Bell, R., & Bardsley, M. (n.d.). John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Retrieved June 9, 2012, from TruTV.com:   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/gacy/8.html  

Crime and Investigation Network. (2005). John Wayne Gacy: Killer Clown. Retrieved June 9, 2012, from Crime and Investigation Network:   http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/john-wayne-gacy-killer-clown/arrest.html  

Donovan, D. (2011, November 29). Another Gacy victim identified thorugh DNA evidence. Retrieved June 9, 2012, from Daily Herald:   http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111129/news/711299790/

Sheriff Jim Jones Has a Propensity to

Sheriff Jim Jones has a propensity to denigrate minorities. He has a team of investigating officers that all belong to the Caucasian race. It implies that Sheriff Jones has recruited his team on a racial basis rather than on professional grounds. The impact of Sheriff Jones leadership is negative, and he was a highly relationship-oriented leader. Cooperation with the FBI team regarding the recent murder has also jeopardized due to Sheriff's non-cooperation with members of the FBI team. Community relations, the objectives of investigation, and the departmental reputation are put at stake due to the immoral behavior of Sheriff Jones. What effect would this have on his leadership role with his officers? Explain. The dominant perspective in the contemporary world is that team diversity is an appropriate team management approach to avoid discrimination. This also leads to add variety and organizational effectiveness (Thomas and Ely, 1996) to the company. Diversity…

Bezrukova, K., Thatcher, S., Jehn, K.A., & Spell, C.S. (2012). The effects of alignments: Examining group faultiness, organizational cultures, and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(1), 77.

Brooke, J.K., & Tyler, T.R. (2010). Diversity and Corporate Performance: A Review of the Psychological Literature. NCL Rev., 89, 715-748.

Dal Bo, E., & Tervio, M. (2013). Self-esteem, moral capital and wrongdoing. Journal of the European Economic Association, 11(3), 599-663.

Dreachslin, J.L., Hunt, P.L., & Sprainer, E. (2000). Workforce diversity: implications for the effectiveness of health care delivery teams. Social science & medicine, 50(10), 1403-1414.

Violent Crimes Mark Goudeau a

Crimes are classified as felonies or misdemeanors. Felony refers to serious crimes such as rape, murder, violent robbery, while misdemeanor refers to lesser crimes such as theft, fraud, or unlawful carrying of weapons. 2. eview the crimes of John Wayne Gacy. Classify his crimes and explain the classification. Examine each component of the classification modeling the examples used in the text. Use what you can find in published articles, interviews, and scholarly information on the web. Make sure to reference your sources. John Wayne Casey was the notorious serial killer who was guilty of murdering at least thirty three young males between 1972 and 1978 in Chicago. His victims were males aged from twelve to their mid-twenties. His court trials began in 1980 after physical evidences pointed to his guilt and he had admitted to killing over thirty persons and burying them under his house. The prosecutors insisted that Gacy…

Bell, R., & Bardsley, M. (n.d.) John Wayne Gacy, Jr. TruTV. Retrieved from:   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/gacy/gacy_1.html  

Crime classifications and definitions (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://public.getlegal.com/legal-info-center/types-of-crimes

Description of sex offender criminal offenses (n.d.) the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Retrieved from:   http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/index.cfm?metaSection=About&metaPage=sotrcdsoco#cp  

Hawkins, K. (n.d.). The Baseline Killer. TruTV. Retrieved from:

Personality & Communication Affect on Supervision

Although interpersonal and group level communications reside at a lower level than organizational communication, they are major forms of communication in organizations and are prominently addressed in the organizational communication literature. Recently, as organizations became more communication-based, greater attention was directed at improving the interpersonal communication skills of all organizational members. Historically, informal communication was primarily seen as a potential block to effective organizational performance. This is no longer the case is modern times, as on-going, dynamic, and informal communication has become more important to ensuring the effective conduct of work It is also widely accepted that top managers should communicate directly with immediate supervisors and that immediate supervisors should communicate with their direct reports. In regard to issues of importance, top managers should then follow-up by communicating with employees directly. The Communication Accommodation Theory supports this rationale. In terms of supervisor-employee communication, one researcher argues the difficulty of trusting…

Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37, 122-147.

Blumberg, A. (1970). A system for analyzing supervisor-teacher interaction. In A.

Simon & G. Boyer (Eds.), Mirrors for behavior, 3, 29-45.

Davis, T. & Landa, M. (1999). The trust deficit. Management Accounting, 71(10), 12-

Leadership Dynamics at Johnson County Sheriff Department

Effect on Leadership Role with His Officers Sheriff Jones’ priorities influence his leadership behavior and the conduct of the other officers. His leadership style would resemble a transactional model as discussed in the management module. This leadership approach is premised on the idea that a quid pro quo occurs between a leader and his followers (Scott & Byrd, 2012). In such a case, the leader specifies the conditions under which the subordinates must work, and the subordinates perform what is expected of them. Moreover, his leadership role could be affected by his junior officers since his actions will directly influence their beliefs, attitudes, and values. It is believed that subordinates could significantly affect the Sheriff’s leadership of his people .and the judiciousness with which he uses his coercive authority. Such an influence could generate greater congruence between the officers’ attitudes and the Sheriff’s expectations hence increase the consistency between the…

House Made of Dawn by N Scott Momaday

House Made of Dawn by N.Scott Momaday - An Extension of Central Thematic Preoccupations in Sherman Alexis' 'Indian Killer' This is a two and half page paper on two novels. 'House Made of Dawn' by N. Scott Momaday though encompasses various genre of autobiography, history, fiction, memoirs, and ethnography, this paper will strive to present an analysis of the awakening factor highlighted in the strong wordings of the author, as also depicted in the novel 'Indian Killer' by Sherman Alexis. The awakening of the Indian literature of the Americans, more commonly known as the Red Indians, achieved its breakthrough in the writings of Momaday, in particular his first novel 'House Made of Dawn' written in 1969. House Made of Dawn also had the distinction of getting the famous Pulitzer Prize. The novel presents a detailed insight into the Native American life, through the eyes of an Indian caught between the…

Kenneth M. Roemer, accessed on 10.04.02

N. Scott Momaday: Biographical, Literary, and Multicultural Contexts, Modern American Poetry

  http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/m_r/momaday/contexts.htm  

Unknown author, *****, Literary/Historical Information, accessed on 10.04.02

Kids Who Kill the Growing

Lowenstein) These children also might see their own feelings of a wish to do physical harm toward another reflected in the feelings of others, the psychological term known as projection, and may be afraid or paranoid of others intentions. Sometimes the criminal act of murder is an extension of previous anti-social acts of less serious forms of delinquency and criminality and children merely graduate to more extended and more violent and extreme forms of behaviour in the form of murder. Lowenstein) Anti-social behavior is rare but is often a trigger for the child, he or she does not have a clear sense of self or a clear sense of the pain he or she inflicts with his or her actions toward another. They are partly or completely disassociated from the emotionally charged elements of violence. They do not have fear, and as Lownstein states they do not often experience guilt.…

Associated Press "Convicted Child Killer to Return Home" CNN website http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/11/29/wrestling.death.ap /  

Gerard John Schaefer Theories Based Upon Biology

Gerard John Schaefer Theories based upon biology, psychology, sociology, and socio-psychological observations and analyses have been formulated with the hopes are identifying factors that may influence and individual's behavior. In the case of prolific serial murderer Gerard John Schaefer, a psychological analysis of his behavior may be the best approach to better understanding factors that influenced his actions. Gerard John Schaefer was tried and convicted for the murders of Susan Place and Georgia Jessup who were last seen on September 27, 1972. The remains of Place and Jessup were found in April 1973 and gave investigators cause to issue a search warrant to look for evidence tying Schaefer to their disappearance. The murders of Place and Jessup occurred while Schaefer was free on bond after being charged with false imprisonment and two charges of aggravated assault after he kidnapped, bound, and tortured/tormented Pamela Sue Wells and Nancy Ellen Trotter (Newton,…

Arrigo, B. (2006). Criminal Behavior: A Systems Approach. Upper Saddle Creek: Pearson

Newton, M. (n.d.). "Gerard Schaefer." TruTV.com. Accessed 25 June 2011, from   http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/gerard_schaefer/1.html  

Stone, M. (2009). The Anatomy of Evil. Amherst: Prometheus Books.

Albert Fish

Albert Fish (1870-1936) was one of the most fiendish serial killers of all times. He was a self-confessed cannibal, masochist and a sadist. After a long "reign" as a serial killer, Fish was finally caught, tried, convicted and executed in the electric chair on January 16, 1936. Family Characteristics of the Killer: Albert Fish was born in a seemingly respectable family in ashington D.C. In 1870. Investigations in his family background later revealed that a number of his relatives had suffered from mental problems. According to Dr. Fredric ertham, one of Fish's half brothers as well as a paternal uncle died in a state hospital, another younger brother was "feeble-minded" and his mother was said to hear and see things. A paternal aunt of the killer was considered to be "completely crazy" and one of his sisters is said to have suffered from some sort of "mental affliction." (Quoted by…

Bardsley, Marilyn. "The Alienists." Crime Library. 2004. September 25, 2004. http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notorious/fish/alienists_5.html?sect=1

The Gray Man." Crime Library. 2004. September 25, 2004. http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notorious/fish/man_2.html?sect=1

Fischer, Kristi and Mark Fischer. "Seize the Night." CarpeNoctem Website. August 2003. September 25, 2004.   http://www.carpenoctem.tv/killers/fish.html  

Schechter, Harold. Deranged. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990

Dorothea Puente When the News

In 1982 the first case of one death at her boarding house reached Sacramento police. Puente was questioned but never suspected. uth Monroe was 61 and Puente said she died of drug overdose. In 1985, she was sentenced to five years in prison on three counts of theft. However Puente turned this into a highly productive period for herself, developing pen-pal relationship with a 77-year-old Everson Gillmouth. The man was so "besotted" by her that he married her despite her criminal record (Crime Library). Gillmouth was later found dead in a box that had apparently been thrown into riverbank by Puente herself. One after the other, people went missing from her boarding house. "Carpenter, a retired bartender, was last seen in February 1987 when she was discharged from a hospital into Puente's care. Miller, 64, was last seen at the boarding house Oct. 23, 1987. Fink, 55, disappeared about the…

Dorothea Puente: Killing for Profits, Retrieved online 10th October 2004:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/puente/2.html?sect=11

Dorothea Puente," Wikipedia: Retrieved online 10th October 2004:

http://wikipedia.lotsofinformation.com/wikipedia/index.php?title=Dorothea_Puente

Where Are You Going Where

The absence of religious lifestyle in the family is an emphasis to the centrality of religion in the life of adolescents and is brought out as the possible wedge that may be there between evil and good. Here, Arnold Fiend could be seen as the embodiment of the devil in his boots that looked odd giving an evil angle and a hidden identity giving him a satanic look. The continued presence of rock and roll music in the entire story also embodies the rebellion against the societal norms. This is from the fact that such music in the 1960s was used as a sign of liberty and freedom from societal dictates and rules. This was the rebellion that most adolescents like Connie got into hence predisposing themselves to dangers that cost them their lives. eference Little M., (2013). Popular Culture After World War II. etrieved April 18, 2012 from http://www.powayusd.com/teachers/lolps/American%20History/Standards/11_8/11.8.8%20Popular%20Culture%20After%20WW%20II.pdf

Little M., (2013). Popular Culture After World War II. Retrieved April 18, 2012 from   http://www.powayusd.com/teachers/lolps/American%20History/Standards/11_8/11.8.8%20Popular%20Culture%20After%20WW%20II.pdf

research essay on serial killers

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Criminal Justice

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Albert Fish (1870-1936) was one of the most fiendish serial killers of all times. He was a self-confessed cannibal, masochist and a sadist. After a long "reign" as a…

In 1982 the first case of one death at her boarding house reached Sacramento police. Puente was questioned but never suspected. uth Monroe was 61 and Puente said she…

The absence of religious lifestyle in the family is an emphasis to the centrality of religion in the life of adolescents and is brought out as the possible wedge…

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Seral killers in the media.

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The Influence Of Jack The Ripper

Serial killers are not a revolutionary concept as they have been around for as long as there has been man. Jack the Ripper is perhaps the most notorious killer due to the nature of the crimes as well as his anonymity. Preying on the East End of London, Jack the Ripper created a persona for himself which would go down in the history books as a terror of England. Although he is often overlooked in relation to impact on today, there is no doubt that he had a major influence on the social climate, journalism, and forensics system.…

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Serial killers have been named many different names over the years by experts. “In the 19th century, psychopathology was considered to be ‘moral insanity’” (Scott, par. 2). Moral insanity is when ones emotions are damaged, causing them to be carried away by furious instinct. That shows why experts would consider calling serial killers morally insane. “Current experts call serial killers a biological disaster” (Scott, par. 2). This means they are born into this world already marked as a disaster. A former psychologist says there are two types, “They are known as ‘Antisocial personality disorder’ or ‘Social pathology’” (Scott, par. 2). Antisocial personality disorder killers usually do not interact with people which can be their reason for becoming a killer. Social pathology killers are disorganized in the world which makes them uneasy and more tempted to becoming a serial killer. These names can simply describe every type of serial killer in the world.…

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The social construction of a serial killer can consist of many different behaviors, thoughts, and actions that play out over time. A serial killer in my opinion is one who acts out on his or her impulses. Impulses that are usually made up of fantasies that the individual cannot separate from reality. Most serial killers come from abusive homes and experience traumatic events throughout their lives. I believe that due to these events and abuse serial killers can detach their self emotionally from not only their victims but from what society deems normal. “A large number of serial killings are motivated by sexual urges, and with female serial killers, a large number of the killings are motivated by financial gain” (Hickey 1997, p. 27).…

Serial Killers

Increasing more than ever, American society is fascinated with serial and mass murderers. Throughout the decades, people have celebrated killers who have reached the peak of success within their field by glorifying them in movies, documentaries, magazines, and even on trading cards. In 1991, a trading card company in California created its first mass and serial card collection, which included notorious murderers such as Jeffrey Dahmer who killed 17 men between 1978 and 1991. Dahmer was known to have sex with the corpses of his victims, kept body parts of others, and ate some of the parts as well. Eventually, Dahmer was sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms and was killed in prison in 1994. . Television programs have also increased people’s fascination with serial and mass murderers by creating documentaries and mini series about them. Many popular actresses and actors who play serial and mass killers in movies unfortunately infuse these murderers with humanity and attraction (Fox & Levin, 2005). In this unit we look at the differences between serial killing and mass killing and investigate some of the motives that are behind the predominantly white middle class males who commit some of the most gruesome and legendary volume killing of other humans.…

Media Influence On Serial Killers

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Eric Hickey (2012) in “Serial Killers: Defining Serial Murder” defines what a serial killer is exactly. In the article the Hickey describes serial killers are usually sexual attacks and murder of young women, men, and children by a male who follows a patter, physical or psychological. I think that the author made a good definition of a serial killer, even though it is stereotypical to describe a serial killer. Scientists have trouble picking a side in the debate because some serial killers represent one side and the others on the other side. Shirley Scott in (2012) “What makes serial killers tick” gave some examples of some red flags. Statistically, the average serial killer is a white male from a lower-to-middle-class background, usually in his twenties or thirties. Many were physically or emotionally abused by parents. Some were adopted. As children, fledgling serial killers often set fires, torture animals, and wet their beds. These examples of red flags are perfect. People need to know what kind of things they need to look for to keep their kids and themselves safe.…

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The definition of a serial killer is people who have killed more than three people over different periods of times. Most serial killers are known to have a troubled childhood. It could range from being abused or having to be sent to an orphanage or a foster home. They take those troubling thoughts and basically take it out on people, or just do it for fun. They most likely have a mental illness, the most common mental illnesses in serial killers is Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) and/or Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). APD is when they show acts of lying or they show that they don’t care about the safety of others. BPD is when the person can have mood swings, impulsive behavior, and severe problems with self-worth (Psychology Today). There can be many things wrong in a serial killer's head, or nothing can be wrong with them and they choose to do what they do.…

Silence of the Lambs and Mr. Brooks

A serial killer could be dining, sitting, or even living next to you at this very moment. Most killers offer little to no obvious clues that will lead anyone to detect their often secretive, undercover actions. I ask myself, “How can we be so naive to these types of people?” Serial killers amongst us are often well educated, portray an All-American image, yet have a psychotic side to them.…

Nature vs Nuture

Ramsland, Katherin M. Inside the Minds of Mass Murderers: Why they Kill. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2005. Print.…

References: Geis, G. (2008). Serial killers and sadistic murderers: Up close and personal. Contemporary Sociology, 37(6), 586-587. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233577412?accountid=40833…

Female Serial Killers

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The science of serial killers is changing

In-depth analysis of murderers might help the rest of us, too.

By Kate Baggaley | Published Mar 8, 2019 1:30 AM EST

research essay on serial killers

The wall of Sasha Reid’s office is covered with serial killers. The collection of black-and-white photographs of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and notable others is not, however, just an unusual choice of decoration.

“It’s very intentional,” says Reid. As a doctoral candidate in developmental psychology at the University of Toronto, she is trying to demystify the circumstances that lead people to commit multiple murders. That means poring over their own words from journals and media interviews. The viewpoints they express often share uncanny similarities, to the point where diary entries penned by different people begin to bleed together. On one occasion, Reid was brought up short by the words of Edmund Kemper (popularly known as the “Co-ed Killer” ). Kemper spoke often of domineering female relatives, and in one interview referred to “my grandmother who thought she had more balls than any man and was constantly emasculating me and my grandfather to prove it.” Lines like this reminded Reid powerfully of Gary Ridgway, ( the “Green River Killer” ), who had issues with his mother.

“I thought, ‘I literally just read this!’” she says. “Then I flipped over the page and I saw that actually this is somebody entirely different—but isn’t that interesting that they’re thinking the exact same thing.”

It was at that point that Reid decided to pin up the photographs. “Their individuality needed to be retained,” she says. Though the serial killers she studies think along very similar lines, Reid sees them as distinct people—people who are very poorly understood. Reid, who is due to finish her dissertation in May, has so far analyzed about 70 serial killers with her colleagues. Her hope is to reveal when their warped perspectives take root and how this kind of damage can be reversed when it shows up in children. “How can we help their development to unfold in a way that’s healthy as opposed to in a way that is completely catastrophic and harmful to society?” Reid says.

Little is actually known about how serial killers think and why they develop the way they do. Reid is among a small number of researchers who believe the time has come to probe their minds in exhaustive depth.

An unexpected case

The thought of six-dozen serial killers is an unsettling one. But for Reid, this sample is just the tip of the homicidal iceberg. She is creating a massive database filled with information on 6,000 serial killers from around the world. This involves searching for documentation about 600 different key details—such as being bullied or having a father with a history of criminal behavior—that may have influenced a person’s path to serial murder. She is also compiling a separate database of people who have gone missing in Canada. Her hope is to create a picture of who these people are and to understand who might have harmed them. On one memorable occasion, Reid unexpectedly found herself comparing her insights with the reality of an active serial killer.

It started when, one day in the summer of 2017, she noticed something bizarre. Three men with ties to the Church and Wellesley neighborhood of Toronto, also known as the city’s Gay Village, had disappeared several years previously. It’s not uncommon for clusters of people to disappear around the same time, often for reasons such as accidents, gang violence, overdoses, or becoming lost. But these men had gone missing under strikingly similar circumstances. All had vanished from a very small area, were men of color of similar ages, and had close ties to friends, family, or work that made an intentional vanishing act seem implausible. “It didn’t make sense, and that was the thing that united them the most,” Reid says. “My immediate thought was, ‘it’s probably a serial killer.’”

Reid consulted her database and used the patterns she observed in serial killers who targeted gay men to draw up a brief profile of the kind of person who might be responsible. She then called to share her findings with the police. As Reid expected, they did not end up using the information. However, in January 2018 the police arrested a 66-year-old landscaper named Bruce McArthur, who has since pleaded guilty to murdering eight men —including the three Reid had noticed.

The profile Reid created had erred on some details, such as the suspect’s age; given that most serial killers are under 40 years old, she had expected a man in his thirties. Other predictions were on the mark. Serial killers often bury their victims in sites over which they have control or easy access. And sure enough, the remains of multiple people were found in planters at a home where McArthur stored tools. Seeing the similarities between pieces of her analysis and the actual features of the crimes gave Reid reason to hope that her databases might have practical use in the future.

She is quick to point out that the widespread notion that police rely on profiles to solve cases is a romanticized one. “Police officers work on the foundation of forensic evidence, not Excel files,” Reid says. “But [the database] is something valuable to have on hand—especially as we start to develop it more and take the art out of it and make it more scientific.”

Embracing the art

Understanding serial killers, however, is as much an art as a science. “Experience is one thing, but the way in which those experiences are perceived across the lifetime is much more telling,” Reid says. “I’m kind of in both worlds, remove the art but embrace the art at the same time.”

Her particular focus is male serial killers whose crimes have a sexual element. While analyzing one of these people, Reid and a team of several other researchers each spend a week to a month digging through a trove of information. Among these sources are diary entries, home videos, interviews with the killer and people who knew him, police files, and medical or psychiatric records released into the public domain. The team looks for recurring themes and discusses the interpretations they each arrive at. Reid then tries to extrapolate a sense of how her subject sees the world and his place in it. “This can then give us a better indication of who they are victimizing, how, and why,” she says.

Reid and her team have honed in on a few core ways in which this group differs from most other people. Notably, serial killers feel they are constantly being pushed around, mistreated, and emasculated. “These people really go through their lives looking at everything that happens to them through the lens of a victim; they’re ultimate victims,” Reid says.

This is not to say that certain behaviors or cultural shifts are to blame for mass murder. Some serial killers did, in fact, survive horrific abuse as children. Others weathered much milder situations, but still believe their entire world is filled with abuse. For Gary Ridgway, one such intolerable experience was his mother’s command that he do his homework (Ridgway went on to murder at least 49 women in the state of Washington).

In fact, these people often yearn for connection with others. But in some cases love is not forthcoming, while in others they may be unable to understand or accept it as such. Often, these people misinterpret relatively gentle social cues as threats, and blame others for their problems.

“They fundamentally isolate themselves because they feel that they’re not accepted,” Reid says. “So they create these little worlds wherein they have ultimate power and control and authority.” But for people who believe the entire world is set against them, these fantasies can end up reinforcing unhealthy ways of engaging with others.

These tendencies are already well documented in serial killers. Reid, however, wants to reveal how such beliefs evolve over time. From what she’s observed so far, these elements seem to germinate during particular critical time periods, and may emerge in children as young as seven years old. By the age of 11 to 13, their violent fantasies begin to take on a life of their own, Reid says, becoming powerful and potent.

Each serial killer’s trajectory is unique; genetic predisposition may play a larger role for some, while life circumstances may be more important for others. However, none of these characteristics or experiences amount to destiny; development is a process that unfolds across the lifetime. Attributes such as resiliency and the ability to adapt to one’s circumstances are important as well.

Reid believes that knowing how and when this development occurs will allow us to better reach children who show signs of maladjusted thinking and ultimately put them on another path. This doesn’t mean all or even most of the kids who display these patterns would have grown up to become serial killers, which are extraordinarily rare. It might be more common for them to become depressed, struggle to form relationships with other people, or engage in domestic violence.

“The thing with development is that you just can never say anything for certain,” Reid says. But she feels there is much to learn from the people for whom these disturbing thoughts blossomed into their most extreme form.

“We can reverse some of the ways in which unhealthy thought patterns impact people’s lives. We can teach people to think healthy as opposed to unhealthy,” Reid says. “It’s not just generalizable to serial killers, it’s very much generalizable to all of human pathology.”

The neo-alienist

In some respects, Reid’s work represents a new take on an approach with old roots.

Lee Mellor, a Toronto-based criminologist and chair of the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases academic committee, feels that Reid’s style harkens back to the early psychiatrists and psychologists, or “alienists,” of the 19th Century. But while alienists created detailed life histories to understand mental illness, these efforts were stymied by the fact that scholars at the time didn’t have access to nearly as many records as those today do. This means that researchers like Reid can dive much deeper into a serial killer’s background and come to more meaningful conclusions, Mellor believes. “Sasha is almost like a neo-alienist, and we need more of that,” he says.

Reid’s work also echoes that of the first pioneers who tried to decipher serial killers, the FBI agents whose work has recently been chronicled on the Netflix show “Mindhunter.” Though an important first step, their original work is considered flawed by academics today, in part because it focused on a small group of only 36 criminals who were not all serial killers, says Robert Schug, an associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at California State University, Long Beach and forensic psychologist.

“I don’t know that anyone has collected as much data on serial killers [as Sasha has], ever,” says Schug, who also studies how serial killers develop . “The potential for kind of unraveling the mysteries of the serial killer, if you will, I think is very high.”

Mellor, who like Schug plans to collaborate with Reid on future projects, feels similarly. “Rather than rejecting the work that these initial trailblazers had done, we’re kind of returning to it and we’re seeing the value in it,” says Mellor, whose own work has focused on necrophilia and murderers who communicate with the police or media before or during their crimes.

That said, this approach does have its limitations. One challenge for Reid’s venture is that there are only so many serial killers whose lives are extensively documented, or for whom these records are easily accessible, Mellor points out. Another hurdle, Reid feels, is the fact that she has not yet spoken with serial killers in person. As a student, she could not muster the funds to fly back and forth and conduct interviews. The project also presented certain liabilities. “I think it [would be] very irresponsible for a university to say, ‘okay, we’re going to send you into the prison and let you interview all of these people who have killed women who looked just like you,’” she reflects.

Once she finishes her dissertation, however, Reid plans to visit prisons and finally begin to conduct her own interviews. “I haven’t spoken to the people that I’m trying to give voice to, and I think that’s awful,” she says. For now, she tries to capture their voices as best she can in her research, and plans for the day when she will be able to ask them questions about her interpretation.

Beyond the zoo

As a child growing up in Dryden, Ontario in the 1990s, Reid wrote “murder stories” and roamed the woods hunting for werewolves, vampires, and other murderous creatures. The decision to study serial killers felt like an inevitable next step on that path. “I don’t think there was anything else ever that I was supposed to do; it’s always been this,” she says. She doubts that any other job could hold her attention.

“I learn something about people every single day,” she says. “It’s like I’m living at the zoo… and I’m looking at a predator and every day I learn something different about their walk, their stride.”

Serial killers hold an enduring fascination for those of us who don’t study them as well.

“I think people are actually craving new information about this topic; that’s why we see the proliferation of these televisions shows and movies and whatnot,” Schug says. “It’s beyond just a morbid curiosity… I think people want to know why .”

Often, we imagine these people are criminal masterminds, Reid noted last year in Contexts , a journal published by the American Sociological Association. They have a certain mystique; although their victims are often forgotten, serial killers are granted fame and flashy nicknames such as the “Night Stalker”, the “West Mesa Bone Collector,” and “Jack the Ripper.” In reality, serial killers are more often opportunists, wrote Reid and coauthor Jooyoung Lee, also of the University of Toronto. Many target vulnerable groups such as sex workers, “who become ‘easy prey’ because of their precarious legal status.”

But there may be change on the horizon. Efforts by sex workers and groups such as the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform to advocate for legal protections and awareness are becoming more visible . And organizations like Street Safe New Mexico take immediate steps such as handing out “bad guy lists” to alert sex workers to dangerous men in the area.

Meanwhile, Reid and other researchers are journeying ever deeper into the minds of the people who have harmed these communities and so many others. “They are people whose behavior is at the far end of the continuum of abnormality, but they are human,” Reid says. “And because they are human they can be understood.”

And whether or not these people would want to be understood, this knowledge may prove valuable to the rest of society.

Kate Baggaley

Kate Baggaley has been contributing regularly to Popular Science since 2017. She frequently covers nature, climate, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but has also reported on many other aspects of science, including space, paleontology, and health. She has a soft spot for birds, deep sea critters, and all kinds of gorgeous creepy crawlies.

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15 Interesting Serial Killer Research Paper Topics 

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Serial Killer Research Paper Topics: Serial killers are not results of the distant memory seasons of Jack the Ripper, yet an alarming reality. Besides, in spite of the multitude of accomplishments and endeavors of legal science, different fields identified with brain research, psychiatry and distinctive social administrations, individuals who have an obsessive inclination to fulfill their distorted requirements through sequential killings discover better approaches to get away from both treatment and discipline, just as to trap casualties.

Serial killers are concentrated in a few fields like brain research, humanism, criminology and some different sciences, which think about the wonder according to different points of view to more readily get it. Clearly, understudies ought to pick Serial killer research paper points dependent regarding the matter they study and put forward the proper objectives – to investigate the brain science of Criminals, to recognize the weakest gatherings of people or to find out about ways that may help in getting a Serial killer. Regardless of whether you are composing without zeroing in on a specific subject, you can have a genuine effect by scattering fantasies about Serial killers and introducing realities that can instruct you and your readers.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Topics on Serial Killers

A Serial killer is somebody who kills with at least four a long time with minimal mental solace to proceed with criminal activities. A psychopathic executioner is an individual having an absence of relational sympathy and neglects to feel thoughtfulness toward his casualties. A psychopathic executioner doesn’t esteem human existence and couldn’t care less about the discipline of his violations. Analyze the earnestness of their mental condition and how to get them all together shield the security of the local area from them. Serial killers are conceived and made relying upon the conditions they live in or it’s anything but a hereditary mishap they got from their folks.

Research Titles for Serial Killers

The topics related to Serial killers are:

You can change the offered research paper subjects on Serial killers to your necessities by expanding or, on the other hand, narrowing them down. Make a point to discover and read data on the theme chosen prior to settling on an ultimate choice to keep away from absence of proof.

Research Paper on Crime and Criminals

Criminals are made because of their general public. In any case, hoodlums are made on account of the conditions they were going through, regardless of whether by the savagery of guardians or by the local area. Crooks resort to brutality and utilize the danger as a method of living, and they don’t feel remorseful about their activities. Numerous Criminals feel outcast in view of the treatment they get from their networks, where the strikes they get are a result of their general public; not they were brought into the world with viciousness. Individuals with high testosterone levels are for all intents and purposes bound to submit to brutality more than the individuals who don’t have this level. Hence, hostile conduct is well known which gives a substitute recognizable proof to Criminals.

Criminals will have furious inclinations toward their folks when they get dismissed or all the more respectful companions. At the point when a criminal gets dismissed by his friends, the outcome will be negative because of incendiary or risky guardians or the absence of sufficient parental control. Hence, taking part in a pack or executioner gathering of people will make up for the heartfelt shortcoming, raising the individuals’ feeling of good individual connection. At last, kid sexual maltreatment is one of the principal factors that cause extraordinary injury to the hoodlums, prompting separation from their networks for a significant stretch of time.

Criminals assault kids and treat them as homeless canines, prompting questions and scorn of society. The youngster develops with dread and carries on with a troublesome life rather than others and that makes him the loathing of society, which keeps an eye on wrongdoing and viciousness to fulfill his savage longings. Nonetheless, when an individual feels distanced from society, he will end up being a criminal on account of the unforgiving conditions he encountered, like lewd behavior and harassment.

FAQ’s on Serial Killer Research Paper Topics

Question 1. How to start a good statement for Serial killer topics?

Answer: We can start with the statement as’ serial killers are not born or they are not killers by birth, instead, they are made by our society. These serial killers have one or another history of assault and abuse in their previous lives. Therefore, before we mark them for their cruelty, we should analyse what was the situation that made them serial killers.

Question 2. What are the main objectives of a serial killer?

Answer: As per the analysis and investigation have done on serial killers, their motives are anger, seeking attention, thrill, self-satisfaction, and money.

Question 3. What are the common types of serial killers?

Answer: A serial killer that has power and wants to control or dominate their victims are the most common type of them.

Question 4. Who was Jack the Ripper?

Answer: Jack the ripper was a serial killer in London. He was also called Whitechapel Murderer and Leather Apron.

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What Makes A Serial Killer Kill {type) To Use As A Writing Model

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Crime , Killer , Sexual Abuse , Murder , Victimology , Discrimination , Picture , Actions

Words: 3250

Published: 03/08/2023

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With the evolvement of the society, increase of our Planet’s population and accessibility of gained information the number of times the news about occurred serial killings escalates. It is logical to assume that the general number of active serial killers increases with time at least due to the statistical approach to the question. Based on the conducted research this work will explain what makes a serial killer kill on the example of a fictional character form a popular TV show Dexter Morgan. In order to understand the serial killer’s actions the paper will examine all of the possible issues, which initially differentiate Dexter from other people, his personal experiences, which influenced his personality, his desires and motives as a serial killer, which drive his actions, and the social circumstances, his surrounding and opportunity to be able to do what he does. Taking into account the moment presented on the photograph, the four main reasons for Dexter to kill will be discussed: initial individual’s difference and predisposition to kill, occurred psychological trauma, capabilities and controlled opportunities to kill, and distinctive established behavior and self recognition.

Individual’s difference and predisposition to kill

When we look at the photo, the first thing to notice is the main character right in the middle of the scene. The viewer’s sight turns to Dexter, who definitely stands out from the crowd. First of all, he is separated from others with red net; he is standing in front of it, when the rest is standing behind, as if Dexter thinks different and knows something others can only attempt to experience. Dexter is like no other in the room, and the picture highlights this point. The numerous scientific studies have proven that those individuals “who had been convinced of a murder with aggressive or antisocial disorders showed distinct brain activity compared to those who were considered normal”, which brings out the assumption that killers must have born with a completely different genetic make up (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). The idea that murders manage and process information differently was explained with help of functional MRI to visualize their brain activity. The relationship between the orbital frontal context, which was admitted to control and deter the emotional explosions, the anterior cingulated cortex, which was supposed to be responsible for the reactions to conflicts, and the amygdale, which was dealing with reactions to fear, was noticed (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). The results have shown that the anterior cingulated cortex and orbital frontal cortex brain activities of violent subjects were greatly reduced or completely absent if to compare to the subjects, who were considered normal, while the amygdale activity stayed on the same level, or went higher (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). Thus, when we look at Dexter, we can clearly see the strained red threads, which can symbolize the unique way of Dexter’s thoughts processing. The only reason he is so good at work, is because of his ability to think as a killer, which Dexter admits numerous times. He knows, how the blood spots appeared, he knows exactly, what type of physical damage was caused to victim in order for each of them to occur. He sees the direct correlation between the attempts, actions and results; he can evaluate that since he is one of the killers himself. The picture highlights his understanding with strained red threads, which do both: lead from blood spots to Dexter and pots Dexter’s vision of cause and effect. Meanwhile, due to the non-functional neural pathways, which are aimed to process the signs of human affliction, Dexter does “not identify with the emotional distress of (his) victims” (Layton). Returning to the picture we can notice, that Dexter is the only one having a neutral facial expression. While the other fine characters in a picture express curiosity, disgust, attentiveness, interest and alarm, and show closed body language with crossed hands, Dexter is standing completely opened, his face is saying nothing, his hands are lowered, he seems relaxed and peaceful. Another academic point to support such conclusion would be that psychopaths “typically have a low resting heart rate”, which can be a result of their emotional detachment (Pemment). The murder does look detached, he does not even tend to notice that he is a centre of everyone’s attention; he does not illustrate any emotion or sign of involvement.

Occurred psychological trauma

Researches of various studies agree on the fact that the majority of serial killers were abused as children. The impact of emotional trauma had been studied: “the subject has to be discussed in terms of the continuous and complex interactions between an organism and its environment, and the relevant contributions of both sets of variables in determining the behavior of the organism” (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). Dexter had his mother killed right in front of him. Being a child, he, perhaps, could just forget the horrifying experience; however, that event damaged him in a way, which made him a serial killer. As Jeffrey Cohen stated “the monster is born at this metaphoric crossroads, as an embodiment of a certain cultural moment – of a time, a feeling, and a place” (Cohen), Dexter became a whiteness of a murder at the very young and dramatic age, moreover, the most sacral person of his was taken away, and he had to experience all that in the middle of nowhere, where nobody to comfort him was present. And that was the moment a victim started transforming into a murder. Even though, Dexter was raised by a police officer, who taught him everything, and for sure, accepted him, Dexter was lonely and emotionally isolated from the world around. This can be noticed when we take a closer look at the picture: a step father was the only person, who truly knew and supported Dexter, so after his death, Dexter had to continue talking to him, seeing him and listening to father’s opinion, because he had no one else to open to. The step father is present on the picture, because he is always following Dexter, warning him about danger and guiding to safety. Though, the step father is not real. Dexter does not have real friends: the experienced shock and childhood abuse had lead to “social isolation, learning difficulties, self-control issues” (Gerber). “Without any substantial social structure in his life, the killer is unable to embark on a normal (sexual) relationship, and thus is forced into solo (sexual) activities” (Gerber). Dexter has to act on his own, because the society would reject him, his vision and his needs are not understood, and he has to isolate himself from others in order to survive. The picture clearly demonstrates Dexter’s isolation from others: he tries to be the same; he is even wearing all black, like others do, but he is separated with red threads. Those threads, the direct line of a murder story, mean more for Dexter than the people, who surround him. His threads and he go first on the foreground, it is all about their relationship, and the people are just the background. “They are typically social isolates. They very rarely have close friends or confidants. They almost never have an intimate relationship, although they sometimes have had brief relationships, which have usually failed” (Lende). Researchers have also noticed that due to the lack of meaningful relationships, psychopaths were looking for comfort in violent actions towards animals as they were kids: “those who were animal abusers were five times more likely to commit acts of violence such as assault, rape, and murder against others. What was understoodis that serial killers in their childhood would resort to killing animals because they felt powerless” (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). From a TV show we know, that Dexter used to act out his violent fantasies on animals; those were the first sits of his Dark passenger to reveal. He was founding comfort in such actions, receiving pleasure and relief, and understanding his difference made Dexter even more isolated from the society.

Capabilities and controlled opportunities to kill

If taking a close look at the picture, we can notice that Dexter’s posture is open and powerful in comparison to others. His hands are open and his fingers are spared as if he is gaining the power from the atmosphere of his comfort. Truly, the scene is comfortable for him, since this is Dexter’s daily duty to be dealing with blood. Dexter is well prepared to kill: he is well educated, even though the majority of serial killers did not have a higher educational background; Dexter is in a good physical shape, which gives him advantage over his victims; he obtains a perceptual affordances of the needed materials and information due to his position at the police office; moreover, Dexter has trust of his colleagues and his sister. “In each of its applications it makes it possible to perfect the exercise of power. It does it in several ways: “because it can reduce the number of those who exercise it, while increasing the number of those on whom it is exercised” (Foucault). Dexter is using FBI’s data base to hunt his victims, who are complete strangers to him, so he is never directly suspected, because the motive can’t be found.

Distinctive established behavior and self recognition

As Cohen stated “monsters must be examined within the intricate matrix of relations that generate them” (Cohen). Because of being traumatized, Dexter lives within his fantasies: “victims of abuse and rejection, serial killers find comfort in their fantasies and reams that take them into a realm that only they can control” (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). Dexter does not have any positive fantasies from his childhood (Gerber), as the impact of negative one is too strong. As the result, Dexter has adjusted his behavior, customs and tactics in order to have a safe opportunity to constantly keep bringing his fantasies to life without getting caught. Freeman identifies “two ways of identifying serial killers: one based on motive and one based on organizational and social patterns” (Freeman). On one hand, Dexter can be viewed as act-focused killer, because of the actual short-term killing process he is used to commit. Dexter kills to kill, he needs to get his relief in order to act normal, and otherwise, the dark passenger may take over the control. Killing for Dexter is the necessity, which brings temporary peace. On the picture the hero is illustrated as the most relaxed; the blood is already squirted; the murder is already completed; the killer is satisfied and pacified: “through the body of the monster fantasies of aggression, domination, and inversion are allowed safe expression in a clearly delimited and permanently luminal space” (Cohen). In this category of an act-focused killer, Dexter can be related to both a visionary and a missionary killer. He falls for visionary type, because he constantly has his dark passenger present, whom Dexter has to satisfy, while the ghost of his step father tells him exactly how the killing is supposed to be done (Freeman). Dexter’s ghost is pictured in a careful, patient and concentrated manner, as if he is absorbing all of the incoming information before releasing the verdict. The ghost stands on the very back, keeping his fingers together, listening and watching the rest of the room. For sure, we can see the direct impact of ghost’s directions on Dexter’s actions. Dexter trusts the ghost, he respects it. At the same time, the recognized killer can also be described as a missionary type of a murder, due to his clear decision to kill only the “bad guys” (Freeman). Dexter knows that the system is not perfect, otherwise his dark passenger would have never been born, and Dexter uses the system’s imperfection to define his own judgment, he straggles for a violent justice and he is proud of doing so. On the picture he may be compared to a saint: his posture can be compared with an angel who is just about to get off the ground, he is emotionless, because he believes his actions are for good. On the other hand, Dexter can be related to the process-focused serial killer, since he gets thrilled with the murder technique he had developed and the actions he had to take, while preparing for the murder (Freeman). Dexter is very organized killer, perhaps, this is the first reason of his success as a serial killer. The white container on the picture represents the desire to stay “clean”, to keep everything under control, and the carefully located red threads tell about the constantly present accuracy of Dexter’s actions. When preparing for the murder Dexter carefully studies his victim in order to be confident about his choice: he looks for the evidence of victim’s previous crimes, so he feels better when the victim is eliminated. Farther, Dexter is setting up the time and place for the crime. He always brings the unconscious victim to the cultivatable crime scene. The murder needs to make sure, no evidence of his own crime is ever left, so he covers the room with layers of oilcloth: that way the blood spots will tell nothing, because they won’t be there. Tied and naked victim has a chance for testimony first: sometimes, they confess, sometimes, they lie, but during those moments Dexter communicates with someone of his one type, so he analyses them. These actions again underline his loneliness, as well as highlight the atmosphere of a holy mission (the victims confess before their death). Then, Dexter kills. He uses the knife, to be able to feel it, observe blood, but to make it fast. When it is all over, the killer takes a small souvenir, an emotional attachment to the experienced pleasure, a victim’s blood spot. Later, the body will be cut into pieces and trashed to the bottom of the ocean. Meanwhile, from the perspective of a killer’s personality, Dexter can be viewed as an expert manipulator and the average Joe (Myall). First of all, this man is extremely good in applying “psychopathic traits such as charm, manipulation, and intimidation” (Pemment). Again, returning to the scene picture, Dexter is being viewed; however, observers’ facial expressions create a feeling as if they are trying to figure him out. The murder is standing under the light, his coworkers and friends are all angled toward him and look at him with expressions of wonder and disgust to assume he could possibly be one of their suspects. Despite all of the webs leading to Dexter, nobody feels comfortable enough to question him, because Dexter has always been using his “frightening ability to manipulate those around them, pressing the right buttons in order to present themselves in a false light” (Myall). He has always been lying and hiding behind a well prepared back-up story. Dexter has been manipulating his sister all this time as well, and due to her reputation, Dexter is the last person to be doubted. However, the scariest fact about the man in the middle is that he “looks like a pillar of the community on first sight” (Myall); such people would rarely be initially accused of assault: “they don’t tend to have problems with alcohol and drugs. They’re certainly not impulsive, quite the reverse. These are rather rigid, observational individuals who plan everything extremely carefully” (Lende). As it was already mentioned earlier, for the society Dexter is a good guy, who brings donates to the office, helps people by analyzing killers, tries going out and even gets married at some point. He completes a big piece of work pretending he is normal. But his secret desires control his essence and the right for happiness. Speaking of Dexter’s inner motivation we can again return to the picture. It is clear that all of the attention is turned to the murder, and the murder is not hiding. Dexter is standing right under the lamp, in the center, everybody is emotionally observing him, while, he is being confidently calm and peaceful, his hands are open and his pose reminds a saint. Knowing the TV show plot, we are familiar with Dexter’s permanent instability and deep desire to become like everybody else. However, once he found his normal happiness when settled down for a family, the outside world had showed him flanges: his wife was violently murdered, while his little son had to repeat Dexter’s story and become a witness of that. Dexter already begun to “believe that this emotionally barren world that surrounds it is something normal” (Gerber). Perhaps, Dexter’s body language is trying to tell us, he wants to be caught, so his mental sufferings can be finished, maybe, he finally can rest in peace, knowing that it is all over, and the world will reward him for his duty: “perhaps most important of all, these people are on a project to suicide. They go out there to die, and they go out to die literally in what they see as a blaze of glory” (Lende). After the research was completed the detailed analysis of Dexter’s Morgan reasons to kill was made. As the result, I have come to a conclusion, that a fictional serial killer, who works at Miami FBI department, collects a standard for the majority of serial murders package of reasons to continue killing, such as: child neglect, the received trauma of loss, developed Antisocial Personality Disorder and schizophrenia, loneliness, personal hater of the society, and individual’s mission.

Works cited:

“Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture. How Serial Killers Are Born”. American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. (2014). Web. 19th of April, 2016.Cohen, Jeffrey Jerome. “Monster Culture: Seven Theses.” Readings for Analytical Writing. Comp. Christine Farris, et al. Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 105-23. Print. 20th of April, 2016.Foucault, Michel. “Panopticism.” Readings for Analytical Writing. Comp. Christine Farris, et al. Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 196-224. Print.Freeman, S. “How Serial Killers Work”. How Stuff Works: Culture. (2nd of October, 2007). Web. 18th of April, 2016.Gerber, B. “10 Most Common Traits of Potential Serial Killers”. LISTVERSE. (2nd of January, 2013). Web. 21th of April, 2016.Myall, S. “What Makes a Serial Killer? Five Types of Killer Personality from the Charmer to the Power Junkie”. Mirror.co.uk. (24th of July, 2015). Web. 18th of April, 2016. Lende, D. “Inside the Minds of Mass Killers”. Plos Blogs: Neuroanthropology. (24th of July, 2012). Web. 20th of April, 2016. Pemment, J. “What Would We Find Wrong in the Brain of Serial Killer?”. Psychology Today. (5th of April, 2013). Web. 22nd of April, 2016. Layton, J. “Do Criminal Psychopaths Enjoy Other People’s Fear or just not Notice It?”. How Staff Works: Science. (7th of December, 2006). Web. 21st of April, 2016.

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  1. The social study of serial killers

    Serial killing is the rarest form of homicide, occurring when an individual has killed three or more people who were previously unknown to him or her, with a 'cooling off' period between each murder. This definition is accepted by both police and academic experts and therefore provides a useful frame of reference.

  2. (PDF) Are Serial Killers Born or Made

    Serial killers are really complicated "humans" with rare minds. They turned into a worldwide phenomenon, being talked by everyone with spreading fear. Minds of serial killers work...

  3. The Psychology of Serial Killers Research Paper

    Serial killers have always held an attraction for many people regarding their actions. The thought that a person can become so twisted and psychotic, to the point of murdering not one, but three or more individuals, is a strange field of study.

  4. 94 Serial Killer Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    A Study on Serial Killers: "Encounter and death: The Spatial Behavior of U.S. Serial Killers" From an analysis, of the article, it is evident that the research focuses on the geographical locations that surround the killings; the location of the first meeting between the serial killers and their victims, the […]

  5. 25 Interesting Serial Killer Research Paper Topics

    Obviously, students should choose serial killer research paper topics based on the subject they study and set the appropriate goals - to explore the psychology of criminals, to distinguish the most vulnerable social groups or to learn about ways that may help in catching a serial killer.

  6. Serial Killer Essay Examples

    Serial killers have long been of interest to American popular culture as well as criminal psychologists. A serial killer is defined as an individual who commits three or more acts of murder over an extended period of time (Allely, Minnis, Thompson, Wilson, & Gillberg, 2014).

  7. Serial Killers Essay

    Serial Killers : The Serial Killer Essay 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.

  8. serial killers

    Download this essay on serial killers and 90,000+ more example essays written by professionals and your peers. ... (Douglas et al., 1992). What motivates the serial killer is an area of much research. Whether we are any further ahead in our understanding of the psychotic personality is debatable, however.

  9. Research Paper on What Makes a Serial Killer

    A serial killer is a person that commits murders in succession from one another. Serial killers have been around for many years, and to this day many still ravage the world. The FBI defines a serial killer as a person that commits three or more murders within a short period of time, within months.

  10. Serial Killer Research Paper: Essay Sample and Topics

    According to a study of serial killers, the murders are committed in a unique fashion, and the killer has a particular mark or sign that they are known for throughout their 'career'. While selecting a victim, the murderers follow special patterns so that all victims have something peculiar.

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    The serial killers are Robert Picton, Gary Ridgway and the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. 4 Gary Ridgway Gary Leon Ridgway was born on February 18, 1949 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was one of the country's deadliest convicted serial killers in Washington during the 1980's and 90's.

  12. Serial Killer Research Papers & Essays

    Serial killers have tendencies of violent behavior, do poorly in school, have low IQs, and have poor social skills (GoodTherapy 1). By lacking these skills, they normally have trouble managing or holding jobs (GoodTherapy 1). They mostly work as unskilled laborers.

  13. Free Papers On Serial Killer ️ Essay Topics Ideas

    Pages • 5. Paper Type: 1300 word essay Examples. Introduction John Wayne Gacy was the serial killer who killed 33 young men. He was born on March 17, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, and died on May 10, 1994, in Joliet, Illinois. During that time in history, no one was convicted of killing so many people.

  14. 15 Interesting Serial Killer Research Paper Topics

    A Serial killer is somebody who kills with at least four a long time with minimal mental solace to proceed with criminal activities. A psychopathic executioner is an individual having an absence of relational sympathy and neglects to feel thoughtfulness toward his casualties.

  15. Serial Killer Essays: Examples, Topics, Titles, & Outlines

    A serial killer can be defined as a person who kills more than four victims in a moderately short period of time usually 72 hours (Larson, 2011). Serial killings usually take place in different locations and have no connection with the preceding assassination. For a serial killer, substantial gain is not the drive for killing his victim.

  16. Serial Killer Research Paper

    Serial killers tend to have a troubled childhood which is characterized by neglect. Research studies have also shown that serial killers have Antisocial Personality Disorder which enables them to kill without remorse. This affectionless personality which causes them to act without having consequences can actually be linked to brain damage.

  17. Essays on Serial Killer. Research Paper Topics & Free Essay Examples

    Grover Godwin, a serial killer profiler, did research on one hundred and seven serial killers. As stated in The Will to Kill by James Alan Fox, the data that Godwin had collected, about ninety»seven percent of these serial killer's victims were complete strangers, three percent were friends of the killer, and only one percent were the killer's family members (Fox 105).

  18. Serial Killer Research Paper

    Serial killers have been named many different names over the years by experts. "In the 19th century, psychopathology was considered to be 'moral insanity'" (Scott, par. 2). Moral insanity is when ones emotions are damaged, causing them to be carried away by furious instinct.

  19. The science of serial killers is changing

    The thought of six-dozen serial killers is an unsettling one. But for Reid, this sample is just the tip of the homicidal iceberg. She is creating a massive database filled with information on ...

  20. 15 Interesting Serial Killer Research Paper Topics

    A Serial killer is somebody who kills with at least four a long time with minimal mental solace to proceed with criminal activities. A psychopathic executioner is an individual having an absence of relational sympathy and neglects to feel thoughtfulness toward his casualties.

  21. A-Level Essays On What Makes A Serial Killer Kill

    Freeman identifies "two ways of identifying serial killers: one based on motive and one based on organizational and social patterns" (Freeman). On one hand, Dexter can be viewed as act-focused killer, because of the actual short-term killing process he is used to commit. Dexter kills to kill, he needs to get his relief in order to act ...

  22. Serial Killings in India: Case Studies and Profiling Strategies

    a first-of-its-kind research on serial killers in Kerala and T amil Nadu. The focus of 283. the discussion is on the various aspects of their modus operandi (Deepak, 2016). 284.