Category: Serial Killer

Psychological processes behind serial murder have been receiving a lot of academic attention within recent decades. However, it should not be neglected that, like any crime, serial murder can also be regarded from the social perspective. Social construction of serial killers has become the subject of various studies, and it is recognized today that the social position, social interactions, and perceived social image may play a significant role in the process the result of which is becoming a serial murderer. Six groups of theories have been chosen for addressing the social construction of serial killers: social structure, social class, social process, neutralization, social control, and labeling.

Multiple attempts have been made to explain crime from the perspective of social structure. Essentially, this approach implies that some people may be more inclined to commit crimes of particular types due to these peoples social positions. For example, being part of an underprivileged community is a possible explanation for the driving force for a person to rob, mug, and steal. However, according to Hickey (2013), [s]tructural theories offer cogent explanations for many types of crimes, except for serial murder (p. 107).

Serial killers rarely come from minorities or vulnerable groups. One of the perspectives that can be nonetheless applied to serial killers in the context of social structure is urbanism. Serial murder occurs more frequently in urban areas, and the reasons for this are higher rates of social disorder, drug use, poverty, and psychological challenges among people in these areas.

Another way to regard serial murder is from the perspective of social class. In the 1980s, some theorists established that most serial killers came from the same social class (the verge of upper-working and lower middle), were excluded from desired social class, strived ardently for joining it, and largely based their choice of victims on the social class of the latter (Hickey, 2013). The connection between social class and serial murder is modernly considered confirmed; however, the nature of the relationship between the two is not sufficiently explored. On the one hand, the social class position can be seen as a reason for a person to commit serial murder; on the other, the desire for social class change or shift can be seen as a more important reason.

One more perspective is a group of social process theories that suggest that behavior is shaped by the processes of socialization, i.e. criminal behavior is caused by certain failures or abnormalities in the process of social interactions of an individual (Hickey, 2013).

These failures or abnormalities may be associated with performance among peers (e.g. at school) or problems with law. However, major problems from the social process perspective are connected to one of the mostif not the mostimportant type of social interactions: family relations. For example, according to (Hamama & Ronen-Shenhav, 2012), in families in which parents are divorced, children are more likely to adopt violent and criminal behaviors.

From the point of view of neutralization, it should be noted that people are not criminals all the time (Hickey, 2013, p. 112). People who commit crimes drift between conventional behaviors and illegitimate behaviors, and in order for them to rationalize the shift to the latter, they need to neutralize; it is stressed that the processes of neutralization are learned techniques. For example, a well-known serial killer John Wayne Gacy asserted that someone else had placed 27 dead bodies in his home while he had been at work. Therefore, neutralization is one of the approaches that help understand the psychological background of serial murder.

A major way of analyzing crime is the hypothesis that people do not involve in illegitimate behaviors because they are afraid of crime; this analysis is summarized by the social control theory. Further development of the theory showed that not involving in criminal behaviors is associated with a wide range of social connections and is not only caused by the fear of punishment. In the context of serial murder, it was found that serial killers often lack these connections (Hickey, 2013). Further studies are needed to explore the social connections of serial killers and their perceived mechanisms of social control.

Finally, what may be particularly applicable to serial murder is the array of labeling theories. Generally, according to these theories, people tend to behave according to their perception of how they are expected to behave, i.e. according to who they are labeled to be by people around them. A particular insight into this understanding in the context of serial murder was suggested by a popular TV show The X-Files; in one of the episodes, a serial killer asks a character why he (the killer) kills people, and the character responds that it is simply because he is a serial killer (Hauser, 2013). This suggests that being once labeled or self-labeled as a murderer may drive people further toward new homicides.

It has been shown that the social perspective on serial murder provides a vast array of insights into how one becomes a social killer. It can be stated that further exploration of serial killers social position, interactions, connections, and role can generate a better understanding of serial murder as a type of criminal behavior.

References

Hamama, L., & Ronen-Shenhav, A. (2012). Self-control, social support, and aggression among adolescents in divorced and two-parent families. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(5), 1042-1049.

Hauser, B. R. (2013). The X-files: I want to believe in forensic adaptation. Adaptation, 6(1), 78-92.

Hickey, E. W. (2013). Serial murderers and their victims (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

The article Encounter and death: The Spatial Behavior of U.S. Serial Killers by Canter and Godwin (1997), is a research article that examines the locations where serial killers first met their victims, where the victims bodies were dumped, and the residence of the killers. The aim of the article is to test three separate hypotheses, the first hypothesis being whether the residence of the offenders was the epicenter of the crime committed.

The second hypothesis examined by the study is whether the location where the offender first meets the victims becomes an integral part of the offenders lifestyle and the last hypothesis tested is whether the first point of meeting and the place of dumping the body eventually become incorporated into the serial killers lifestyle.

The design of the article begins with a description of the average number of deaths that are reported in the country annually, and deduces the average number of the deaths that can be attributed to serial murderers.

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 location of the dumping sites of the victims, and the locations of the offenders place of residence.

The researchers of the article try to determine whether serial killings can be solved by having knowledge of the three locations described above because from the conclusion of the article, it can be deduced that serial killers get increasingly lax and usually end up dumping their victims near their places of residence (the offender).

The literature reviews on which the article is based include research that make the same conclusions as the article itself; articles that reflect the planning done by serial killers, and the proposed reasons on the choice of the dumping locations of the victims.

The methodology used by the study tries to link the three locations mentioned above to the rational thought process of the killers, using three hypotheses.

As already identified, the first hypothesis is that the home operates as the focus of the serial killer in finding their victims and dumping the bodies while the second hypothesis is that there is a difference in the distances covered by the serial killers in the apprehension of the victims.

The last hypothesis that the research tries to prove is that the distances covered by the serial killers in trying to dump their victims is likely to change, as more murders are committed. The sample used by the study is a selection of 54 serial killers who were apprehended, together with locations in which their victims were found.

These locations were compared with the locations where the killers first met their victims, and the relative distances between these locations were measured by the use of commercially available mapping software called Map Expert.

From the above information, it was possible to identify the distances between the three locations for each of the murders committed, and thus identify the changes in the distances, as more murders were committed. The study then finds the mean distances of the three variables and concludes that, as a serial killer continues murdering the victims, the distances covered to dump the bodies kept reducing relative to the location of the offenders place of residence.

This is inferred from the mean of the distances covered, and ANOVA results that tested the levels of significance of the group differences of the three hypotheses. The conclusion of these studies is that the relationships between the distances covered by the murderers in disposing the bodies changed over time; the distances from the offenders residences reduced as the number of victims increased.

Reference

Godwin, M., and Canter, D. (1997). Encounter and Death: The Spatial Behavior of US Serial Killers. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Vol. 20(1). Pp.24  38

The article Encounter and death: The Spatial Behavior of U.S. Serial Killers by Canter and Godwin (1997), is a research article that examines the locations where serial killers first met their victims, where the victims bodies were dumped, and the residence of the killers. The aim of the article is to test three separate hypotheses, the first hypothesis being whether the residence of the offenders was the epicenter of the crime committed.

The second hypothesis examined by the study is whether the location where the offender first meets the victims becomes an integral part of the offenders lifestyle and the last hypothesis tested is whether the first point of meeting and the place of dumping the body eventually become incorporated into the serial killers lifestyle.

The design of the article begins with a description of the average number of deaths that are reported in the country annually, and deduces the average number of the deaths that can be attributed to serial murderers.

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 location of the dumping sites of the victims, and the locations of the offenders place of residence.

The researchers of the article try to determine whether serial killings can be solved by having knowledge of the three locations described above because from the conclusion of the article, it can be deduced that serial killers get increasingly lax and usually end up dumping their victims near their places of residence (the offender).

The literature reviews on which the article is based include research that make the same conclusions as the article itself; articles that reflect the planning done by serial killers, and the proposed reasons on the choice of the dumping locations of the victims.

The methodology used by the study tries to link the three locations mentioned above to the rational thought process of the killers, using three hypotheses.

As already identified, the first hypothesis is that the home operates as the focus of the serial killer in finding their victims and dumping the bodies while the second hypothesis is that there is a difference in the distances covered by the serial killers in the apprehension of the victims.

The last hypothesis that the research tries to prove is that the distances covered by the serial killers in trying to dump their victims is likely to change, as more murders are committed. The sample used by the study is a selection of 54 serial killers who were apprehended, together with locations in which their victims were found.

These locations were compared with the locations where the killers first met their victims, and the relative distances between these locations were measured by the use of commercially available mapping software called Map Expert.

From the above information, it was possible to identify the distances between the three locations for each of the murders committed, and thus identify the changes in the distances, as more murders were committed. The study then finds the mean distances of the three variables and concludes that, as a serial killer continues murdering the victims, the distances covered to dump the bodies kept reducing relative to the location of the offenders place of residence.

This is inferred from the mean of the distances covered, and ANOVA results that tested the levels of significance of the group differences of the three hypotheses. The conclusion of these studies is that the relationships between the distances covered by the murderers in disposing the bodies changed over time; the distances from the offenders residences reduced as the number of victims increased.

Reference

Godwin, M., and Canter, D. (1997). Encounter and Death: The Spatial Behavior of US Serial Killers. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Vol. 20(1). Pp.24  38

Serial killings are not a strange occurrence in most parts of the world although they are minimal and add up to not more than 1% of total murders annually (FBI pr. 32). A serial killer is defined as a person who has killed at least three persons consequently to satisfy personal aims. The murderers are mostly sexually, financially, motivated, or do it to get thrilled or due to anger. Usually, the murders are similar in form as victims may be from the same sexual or racial backgrounds. The macabre concern regarding the matter is extensive, given attention by not only the law enforcers but also by individual scholars, journalists, through movies, and other aspects. This began during the 1880s due to mysterious series of killings in Whitechapel, London performed by a mysterious person dubbed Jack the Ripper. This continued in the 1990s after cases regarding Green River serial murder, Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgeway who had murdered 48 women in Seattle. BTK, Dennis Rader had killed ten victims in Kansas in the nineteenth century. All these cases have sexual aspects where serial murders killed their victims, who were especially prostitutes after having their sexual encounter (FBI pr. 39).

Law Enforcement Response to Serial Killing

Law enforcement agencies are constantly demanded to handle murders in all nations in the world. Specifically, many homicide cases are usually tragic, particularly ones that involve serial killers. These cases have been constantly studied by scholars as well as law enforcers since Jack Rippers cases during 1800, Californias the Zodiac Killer and including the most recent sniper murders that occurred in 2002 (Newton 386). Studies have tried to evaluate the cases in relation to the causes, patterns, and effects of serial murders. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has tried to analyze serial murder in relation to profiles through the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime and partnering with local and international agencies to curb serial killings through teamwork to achieve their goal. Serial killer cases are critical especially when the media is involved. Investigation of such cases is usually hard and such studies are usually done independently by expatriates and there have been limited efforts for law enforcers and experts to agree on the outcome. As a result, the FBI has tried to link together the controversial viewpoints regarding serial murders through the establishment of a multi-disciplinary approach in a symposium held in Texas in 2005. This symposium was meant at connecting experts in the field in various specialties to gather enough information regarding serial killers (FBI pr. 22). The expertise incorporates law enforcers for successful apprehension as well as in investigations regarding the matter. Additionally, mental health practitioners, scholars, and other experts such as media personalities and judges made their contributions. Here they discussed the international viewpoint regarding serial killers since experts came from different parts of the globe (FBI pr. 25).

To successfully handle the issue of serial murders, the law officials have gathered knowledge on common myths, forms, forensics, cause, motivation, characteristics, effects, prevalence, media role, prosecution as well as serial killer profiling to allow the criminal justice system to effectively respond to the issue through recognizing, investigating and adjudicating the cases. The FBI Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) through The National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) for instance has acted as an operational aid to the federal, state as well as international agencies to investigate such crimes through behavioral, forensic as well as investigative aspects for law enforcers to be better equipped with the necessary knowledge on serial killers. The legal officers are equipped with descriptive as well as behavioral traits of suspects and offer advice regarding investigative procedures for accurate identification of offenders. NCAVC engages in research to acquire knowledge on criminal thinking, motivations as well as behaviors, where the outcomes are incorporated to become investigative as well as innovative procedures meant to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcers.

Future of Serial Killing

Dr. Richard von Krafft-Ebing was the mastermind to document his research regarding violence, sexual assaults, and consequential crimes. He recorded various case studies, which included serial murders. The law enforcement agencies such as the FBI maintain that there are several serial killers in the United States and they are expected to increase and hit an epidemic proportion with many people losing their lives as a result of serial killers (FBI pr. 25). Serial killers are predicted to be on the rise as the geopolitical world order changes. The future of serial killing is promising from a legal perspective. The law enforcers have up-geared their efforts to put the vice into halt not only in the United States but also in the other parts of the world. Moreover, the public has increasingly become aware of serial murders. This will be enhanced through the media such as movies, which trigger audience curiosity through portraying serial killings. This captivates the public, which overemphasized the need to be critical about serial killers.

However, most of the information about serial killers in the movies is inaccurate, which results in various misconceptions concerning the matter. Even though the information is based on speculations it creates public awareness of the issue. These speculations may in fact affect the credibility and efficiency of law enforcers in their investigations. The media enhance related myths such as serial killers are all dysfunctional loners, are all white males, are only motivated by sex, all serial murderers travel and operate interstate, cannot stop killing, are insane or are evil geniuses, and that they want to get caught (FBI pr. 15). These are nothing but myths that are spread by movies, based on speculations and not on accurate evidence from experts. The gain of more insight regarding serial murders will prove vital to prosecutors and pathologists as well as crime investigators.

The causality of serial murders is still an unresolved issue but it is thought to be environmental, biological and social as individuals interact towards them. A person however, might be genetically predisposed and causality is liked to their progress during development. Free will is also crucial in the aspects and dictates the behaviors as serial killer choose their victims keenly and very timely based on their preference. In future, the neurobiologists will be in a position to evaluate the contribution of the nervous system and its interaction with the environment as it is structured in a manner to crave for killings. With the rising cases of drug and substance abuse, child assault cases and social-economic constrains might further result to a rise in serial murders since social coping ways are compromised, causing violence (Newton 25).

The means of killing for serial killers may take forms such as asphyxiating, drowning, strangling, use of torture, hanging or stabbing, which they may improvise to achieve their desires. This may be achieved through methods such as using the internet as in dating sites to search their ideal prey. They may change their targets as well as methods of killing in order to create illusions and hinder their identification.

Although there is no generic template for such an offender, psychopath plays a crucial role. Therefore, physicians should recognize psychopath and offer timely therapeutic measures before individuals become extreme. In identifying such cases, law enforcers should collaborate and network with different investigative agencies locally and internationally in order to be able to face future challenges posed by political system, media and the public. With the increased use of forensic however, extensive media coverage as well as rising crime laboratories, serial killings will decline in future. With more technological advances in future, there will be accurate investigations and identification of serial killers via innovative processing and ways of gathering evidence. These forensic tests could be compared with database cases of unresolved suspects. The computerized models will be crucial in solving such cases with the now increasing systems e.g. Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) as well as National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (NIBIN) (FBI pr. 43).

Works Cited

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Serial.Murder. Reports and Publications. 2005. Web.

Newton, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. New York: Infobase Publishing. 2006. Print.

Introduction

In the modern world, homicide is considered to be one of the most severe and immoral crimes. To try and prevent the losses of human lives, criminal scientists develop theories about environmental and genetic factors that propel people to become murderers. According to statistics, men are responsible for most homicides, while women tend to kill for self-defence and other material reasons (Menard & Morris, 2011). However, although the percentage of deliberate female-committed murders is low, psychopathic women have higher chances of committing a homicide, so it is reasonable to analyze such instances. A practical example of a cold-blooded female murderer can be found in Aileen Wuornoss case. Aileens lack of attachment and early childhood abuse promoted psychopathic development and led to homicide.

Criminal Offender

Aileen Wuornos was born on the 29th of February in Rochester, Michigan. Upon Aileens birth, her mother was 16, and her father, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was in jail for raping a seven-year-old child (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004). After four years since the birth of Aileen, her mother abandoned the family, leaving the girl and her brother with their maternal grandparents, whom the girl considered her birth parents. In one of the interviews, Aileen Wuornos mentioned the sadistic tendencies of the grandfather. He would beat her with a leather strap while she was lying naked on a bed (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004). The beatings, she recalled, could be committed regularly without allowing her damaged skin to heal (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004). In addition to physical assault, she was exposed to mental pressure. During the beatings, the grandfather called her evil, wicked, worthless and that she was not worthy of the air she breathed (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004, p. 383). The grandmother did not prevent her husbands violent behaviors and had drinking problems. Eventually, Aileen and her brother discovered the truth about their natural parents, which made the kids even more distant from their elder caregivers.

The difficult childhood profoundly affected Aileens life, leading to social unacceptance, prostitution, and criminal activities, including murders. She was aggressive and irresponsible during her adolescence, which resulted in her becoming pregnant at the age of 15 and failing to establish social connections (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004). Like her mother, she left the child to be adopted by her grandparents. Almost all of Aileens relationships were brief and filled with violence and domestic abuse (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004). To earn for a living, she became a prostitute, but still struggled with money. As a result, she was charged with multiple robberies and was once sentenced to three years of imprisonment for deadly weapon use. In her thirties, Aileen committed her first murder by killing a 51-year-old-man. Later, she would reason every murder by self-defence against raping men, but the claims seemed inconsistent with all the forensic evidence. After killing six more people, she was caught and sentenced to death.

Criminology Theory

The theoretical explanation of Aileen Wuornoss Case is based on attachment and psychopathy theories. Attachment theory describes the connection between the development of a childs mental models and paternal interactions with the child. The theory states that the formation of attachment in early childhood is a pivotal factor in the childs emotional, social, and personal development (Kocsis, 2018). On the other hand, the absence of the parental bond can result in the childs anger, despair, and mistrust, leading to the adoption of a destructive world image (Kocsis, 2018). For example, if caregivers do not satisfy all the infants basic needs, the child can develop a notion that people are unreliable and the child itself is inadequate. Another danger of improper attachment is its correlation with psychopathy (Kocsis, 2018). An infant lacking meaningful bonds cannot develop the mental tools necessary for understanding others feelings and emotions (Kocsis, 2018). Therefore, the lack of attachment can provide an individual with dangerous mental models, impairing the worldview, promoting aggressive and violent behaviors, and even psychopathy.

Criminal Offended Motivation, Deviance, and Abnormal Behaviour

Throughout her life, Aileen Wuornos showed multiple signs of psychopathy, including violence, aggression, antisocial behaviors, and substance abuse. She could not assimilate into the school environment, had poor study results, and lacked meaningful connections. All the Aileens relationships were unhealthy and involved mental and physical violence. The only close person for Aileen was her brother, with whom she shared the experience of being abused in their childhood (Arrigo & Griffin, 2004). The failure to understand the emotions of others, along with the deep hatred towards men, led to the murderous acts. Aileen did not show any empathy to her victims and treated them as objects that helped to achieve material and personal satisfaction.

There were two main reasons behind Aileens abnormal behaviors: her difficult childhood and biological heritage. During her early years, Aileen experienced neglect, resentment, and domestic abuse, which dramatically affected her mental development. As a result, she could not correctly understand other peoples emotions, implied hidden motives behind others actions, and became hateful and defensive. Even though the environmental factors played a pivotal role in Aileens development, the genetic influence could also be profound. For instance, she showed impulsive behaviors and a lack of concern for other people, the similar way her father did.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the primary causes of Aileen Wuornoss murderous acts came from her experience of an abusive childhood and parental neglect. The irresponsible attitude of Aileens parents and the abusive behavior of her grandfather produced a serial killer who took the lives of seven people. This statement highlights the significance of personal and governmental responsibility to ensure appropriate childcare and mental development to prevent such tragedies.

References

Arrigo, B. A. & Griffin, A. (2004). Serial murder and the case of Aileen Wuornos: Attachment theory, psychopathy, and predatory aggression. Wiley InterScience, 1(22), 375-393.

Kocsis, R. N. (2018). Applied criminal psychology: A guide to forensic behavioral sciences. Charles C Thomas Publisher.

Menard, S. & Morris, R. G. (2011). Integrated theory and crimes of trust. J Quant Criminol, 1(28), 365-387.

Introduction

Getting attention

The act of murdering other people is, unfortunately, a common thing in our society. To kill one person is already a horrifying deed, to kill more than that is a crime against all humanity. Nowadays, those who have killed three or more people are officially called serial killers.

Establishing relevance

These murderers are extremely dangerous, as the number of their victims may range from 3-5 people to even more than hundred. What is even more terrifying about serial killers is that the true number of their victims might yet be undiscovered; thus, some killers could have actually murdered more people than officially stated.

Establishing credibility

Even though the majority of serial killers is dead, put in jail or executed, the problem still exists even now, as some serial killers are still out there, and you never know when or where they might appear, and who will be their next victim. Unfortunately, after all these years, scientists have yet to come to the general consensus about what makes a person become a ruthless killing machine.

Statement of thesis

What is definitely certain is that serial killers are often psychologically unstable, void of any sense of regret for killing innocent people, and derive pleasure and satisfaction from committing murder.

Key words and phrases from the speech

Psychopathic killers

Psychological researches have indeed proven that the majority of serial killers are psychopaths and schizoids. The cause of their mental disorder is often a mystery; however, the possible contenders are various forms of abuse during the early childhood, out-of-control sexual fantasies or even cases of antisocial personality disorder. In 1974, the Behavioral Science Unit, formed by FBI, was appointed with a task of interviewing 36 serial murderers in order to discover their motivation and psychology (The Psychology of Serial Killers par.6). This interview has provided enough information for FBI to divide serial killers into three types: organized, disorganized, and mixed serial killers.

Organized killers plan their assassination beforehand, often thinking through their every step, thus, providing little to no evidence of their crime. Disorganized killers do not share this methodical approach; instead, they attack unexpectedly, without studying their victims and often choosing the latter randomly, without any logical reasoning. The famous Jack the Ripper, one of the first serial killers in England to actually cause some sort of a media boom around himself, can be regarded as a disorganized killer. He is known for going on a killing spree of five prostitutes, savagely cutting their bodies in the process. Dr. Thomas Bond, who was responsible for inspecting the bodies, described Jack the Ripper as a man of solitary habits, subject to periodic attacks of homicidal and erotic mania, and the character of the mutilations possibly indicating satyriasis or uncontrollable sexual desire (Bohn par.8). Ripper did not just kill his victims, but also cut and severely dismembered them. It was his personal signature, which served as an example of his psychological needs and the desire he had for his victims.

Cold-blooded murderers

Another defining characteristic that most serial killers have is the absolute absence of remorse and pity for their victims. Here is one of the quotes of Ted Bundy, a well-known American serial killer, rapist, and necrophile: I dont feel guilty for anything. I feel sorry for people who feel guilt (Brogaard par.2). Ted Bundy has a record of 30 homicides that have officially been proven, but the true number of his victims is believed to me much higher than that. Most of his victims were women who resembled his college girlfriend. The fate he prepared for them was horrifying at the very least: before actually killing his victims, he often raped them; then he dismembered their heads with a handsaw, and took the parts of their body with as souvenirs. He is also believed to practice cannibalism. Looking at Bundy, many people will wonder how can a human being be so cold-blooded and void of feelings? What can possibly cause such behavior? Some biological psychologists explain the absence of certain emotions by the child abuse. Apparently, abuse can leave a certain physical track on a childs brain, which prevents a child from being affected by various emotions. Scientists believe that this can be the reason why a child will no longer have empathy and the ability to undertake emotions of others.

Hedonistic lust killers

The killers who receive satisfaction and pleasure from killing people are often called Hedonistic killers. Sex is their main motivation tool for committing murder. Therefore, the act of murder by Hedonistic killers is often preceded or even followed (necrophilia) by a rape. Hedonistic killers are similar to drug addicts, with sex being their drug. Jeffrey Dahmer is a famous American Hedonistic killer, who murdered 17 men and boys because of his lust and desire for necrophilia. He had a rough childhood, with his family leaving him and neighbors molesting him. At a younger age, Dahmer has displayed his perverted perception of reality by impaling heads of animals in his yard. He often dreamed about killing and crippling other men and was actively looking for a sex partner. Dahmer was killed by his prison inmate in 1994.

Conclusion

Ending the speech

With these three main characteristics of serial killers being covered, I would like to summarize the main points of this report.

Summarizing main points

There are various types of serial killers, each differing from each other either by motives or the way of killing. Most of serial killers are psychopathic in nature; they often have twisted perception of things, are often cold-blooded and void of any pity.

Clincher

They are extremely dangerous, and as long as there is no definite explanation as to what may cause people to become killers, alas, they will continue to commit outrages in our society.

Works Cited

Bohn, Scott. Jack the Ripper Identified. 2014. Web.

Brogaard, Berit. The Making of a Serial Killer. 2012. Web.

The Psychology of Serial Killers. n.d. Web.

Introduction

Consideration of the psychological profile and attempts to explain the behavior of serial offenders is usually quite complicated, as it contains many variables that do not allow determining something universal for all offenders. Nevertheless, behavioral theories describe some correlation between biological, social, and psychological factors that might contribute to a person becoming a criminal. This paper will interpret the criminal offenses of Chikalito by interpreting them through the biobehavioral theory. First, the work will describe the theory, then provide the offenses committed by the criminal, after which we will try to discuss the relations between Chikalitos psychological and behavioral features with his actions.

Biobehavioral Theory

Biobehavioral theories imply some correlation between an individuals physiological, environmental, biochemical, and neurological factors and their potential to become a criminal. According to this theory, factors influence an individuals perceptual characteristics at the biological level, and these factors can be hereditary and acquired (Archibald & Akers, 2018). Biochemical factors described in this theory include hormones and neurotransmitters, whose concentrations can affect human behavior. On the other hand, environmental factors are related to the effects of the environment on the human body and, consequently, human behavior. This theory helps to suggest a higher chance of some people committing crimes over others or to state the cause of crime ex post facto.

The Crimes of Chikatilo

Andrei Chikatilo was a Russian man who began his criminal activity at the age of 45. According to the media report by The Washington Post was guilty of fifty-two murders (Eleanor, 1992). Chikatilo always followed a clear plan to find his victims, whom he raped and dismembered (Willmott et al., 2017). Some of his victims were eaten by the perpetrator, and parts of the corpses were kept as trophies. He killed at least 45 people, most of whom were women (Willmott et al., 2017). The rest of his victims were underage boys whose genitalia the perpetrator cut off to rob them of their masculine features as much as possible.

Consistency of the Offenders Actions with Behavioral Theory

Chikatilo was a necrosadist who derived satisfaction from killing his victims. After the onset of problems with sexual dementia, as well as the development of various kinds of sexual perversions, he began his criminal activity (Willmott et al., 2018). Chikatilos behavior is directly related to his sexual deviations and his inability to have a sex life. The behavioral patterns of the criminal noted that his actions were driven by the processes described by the biobehavioral theory.

A study by Zghal et al. (2017) shows a definite correlation between sexual perversion and a persons mental illness development. Although Chikatilo is believed to be completely sane and not suffering from mental illness, chances are that the doctors who evaluated him were under pressure from the prosecutors office to send Chikatilo to a firing squad rather than to a mental institution. Also, a high number of sexual partners correlates with involvement in a persons antisocial behavior (Beaver et al., 2017). According to this study, there may be a correlation between personality traits affecting the number of sexual partners and antisocial behavior, which relates to the evolutionary theory of human behavior. On the other hand, some genetic predispositions may be responsible for the number of sexual partners and a persons antisocial behavior. Nevertheless, Chikatilo had many sexual partners before his potency problems, which could explain his behavior after losing his ability to have an active sex life.

Accounts of Chikatilos life imply that there is proof of unsatisfactory prior partnerships. He admitted that erection dysfunction frequently affected his early sexual relationships, which caused him great embarrassment and frustration (Willmott et al., 2018). He himself blames his acts on an unsuccessful attempt to rape his first victim when explaining to them after being found guilty. In a confession to a doctor, he reiterates that he achieved a spontaneous orgasm just before fatally stabbing his first victim (Willmott et al., 2018). Therefore, it makes sense that during this incident, the use of force and violent behavior adopted became positively reinforced in the form of the satisfaction gained from overcoming prior arousal incapabilities as well as positive feelings associated with the ejaculation itself, which may explain the repetition of Chikatilos behavior.

Shortcomings of the Applied Theory About the Behavior of the Offender

There may be several assumptions in applying the behavioral theory to the case of Chikatilo. The use of behaviorist explanations suggests that the enjoyable consequences that came before violent killings may have conditioned and reinforced the act of killing, and as such, they plausibly explain why he continued to commit crimes after the first murder. The beginning of the first murder also seems to be related to the deep-seated feelings of humiliation that the offender claims to have experienced, which seem to manifest as excessive violence after repeated failures of regular sexual relations.

Conclusion

Thus, Andrei Chikatilos behavior can be interpreted by several mental and psychological factors. His traumas and sexual experiences incorporated into the psychological problems caused particular behavior patterns and affected his actions. It is unlikely that the psychological explanations put forth can fully explain why Chikatilo committed the reported sexually deviant crimes, despite the fact that they provide a plausible and persuasive explanation for the behavior of one of the most prolific yet understudied serial killers of modern times. The whole extent of Chikatilos depravity is unlikely to ever be fully known in the absence of his own thorough defense. Thus more research and theoretical endeavorsof which the current investigation is one of the firstare surely needed to comprehend this unusual sort of homicidal behavior.

References

Archibald, P. C., & Akers, T. A. (2018). Development of the Behavioural-Biomedical Law Enforcement Stress Discordance Model (B2LESD): An epidemiological criminology framework (LEPH2018). Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being, 3(3), 68-83.

Beaver, K. M., Wright, J. P., & Walsh, A. (2017). A gene-based evolutionary explanation for the association between criminal involvement and the number of sex partners. Biosocial theories of crime (pp. 351-359). Routledge.

Eleanor, R. (1992). Russian convicted of murdering 52. The Washington Post. Web.

Willmott, D., Boduszek, D., & Robinson, R. (2017). A psychodynamic-behaviorist investigation of Russian sexual serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 29(3), 498-507.

Zghal, M., Romdhane, F. F., Jmii, G., El Ghali, F., Belkhiria, A., Jouini, L., Ghazeli, A., & Ridha, R. (2017). Sadistic sexual assault, perversion and schizophrenia: A case report. European Psychiatry, 41(S1), S594-S594.

Theodore Robert Bundy most commonly referred to as Ted Bundy was one of the most infamous American serial killers in history. His known active killing spree was between 1973 and 1978. Before his execution Ted confessed to over 30 murders, although police suspect the actual number is estimated to be 35 or more. His technique was to entice young women into being alone with him then kidnap, thrash and strangle them to death. He confessed to acts of rape, mutilation and necrophilia with his victims. He escaped twice from county jails prior to his final capture in 1978, and was executed by electric chair in Florida January 24th 1989.

Bundy lived with his mother and grandparents on the outskirts of Philadelphia during early childhood. His mother didn’t know who Ted’s father was and to avoid the social shame that came with being a young unwed mother, his grandparents claimed Ted as their son. He reportedly grew up believing that his mother was his older sister, and did not learn the truth about his biological parents until 1974. (IMDb) His grandfather was known to be temperamentally unpredictable, cruel toward animals, totalitarian, and a user of pornography. Bundy reported a strong early attachment to him. In junior high school, Bundy was frequently bullied by his fellow male students for his reservedness. He performed well academically, but was socially introverted and somewhat awkward. Later he became aware during high school that he did not understand the social part of life, nor did he understand friendships, relationships or why people wanted those things. He also had an allurement with brutal forms of pornography, and enveloped crime books and magazines on sexually violent topics. He later went on to become an honor student in psychology at the University of Washington, and was enrolled in law school. He became romantically involved with a female student named Stephanie, the daughter of a wealthy California family. Her family had everything he ever wanted, money, influence, etc. “Ted had a pivotal breakup with his girlfriend Stephanie, which leads him to choose to attack and murder young women who resemble her.” (TSU)

Ted’s development is usually best understood in the context of Ainsworth/Bowlby’s attachment theories, Piaget’s moral development model and Erickson’s psychosocial development theory. (educheer) Louise Bundy was 22 years old when she gave birth to Ted, and was shunned by her church and family. After birth, she left infant Ted at the Elizabeth Lund Home for 3 months and returned to Philadelphia, considering whether to place him up for adoption. Ted was bereft of the proximity and nurturance of his biological mother during a critical development period when important attachments of trust and security are normally met by the caregiver. (Simply Psychology). When she took him home to Philadelphia, the absence of synchrony with his mother was likely characterized by an avoidant/insecure or disorganized/disoriented attachment style, and an important underpinning of healthy emotional development was compromised.

Infants who have inconsistent parents may learn that their caregiver can’t be trusted, consistent with Erickson’s psychosocial development theory. Usually by 8 months, babies behave in ways in which signal a robust preference for one caregiver, usually the mother. Ted later recalled only an attachment to his grandfather of unknown quality, as his grandmother was known to be depressed and treated with electroshock . It is likely that Louise was depressed during this era which likely predisposed him to negative affect, self-directed coping, and interactive failure. Very little is documented about Ted’s infant temperament, although fluctuation was a temperamental trait observed later in his childhood.

Louise and Ted left for Washington State, a move that disrupted a secure attachment with his grandfather. When his stepfather, Johnnie Bundy, married Louise, Ted spent time with him only grudgingly, despite Johnnie’s efforts to involve him in activities. He later admitted he was self-conscious by his family’s indigence, and felt humiliated at being seen riding in Johnnie’s run-down Rambler, conceivably his earliest documented recollecting of feelings of insufficiency, anger, and a poorly developed self-confidence. Ted began isolating himself in his bedroom with the radio, he enjoyed listening to news broadcasts or talk shows because it gave him the sensation of eavesdropping on others conversations, and it became a major source of invigoration. He kept this activity secret from his parents, along side his first ventures into pornography. His outlying pattern would support an over-productive imagination and fantasy. Such isolation produces characteristics of feelings of inadequacy experienced by other known serial killers.

Bundy sought out women whose appearance and background satisfied his craving to escape his common origins. His predominant interest in early adulthood relationships was to be seen with attractive women and to be admired, and his obsession with social pretense became insatiable leaving him vulnerable to the devastating effects of humiliation. Eventually, Bundy, using generalization, transferred internalized humiliation to his victims. Once uninhibited, the internalized humiliation became a terrible destructive force.

What makes a serial killer? What drives them towards sadistic murder? What are the roots of their cold-blooded brutality? Is it a result of an abusive childhood or were they born with it? This has been a question for hundreds of years. Is a Killer Born or made? Serial killers may appear to be just your average joe, maybe even your next-door neighbor, but they are actually far from it. What all serial killers have in common is a ravenous thirst for murder without remorse. Some of the most infamous serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and John Wayne Gacy; Binding, Torturing, and Killing is their number one motivation. They get gratification from it, a need for control, and a need for dominance.

When the question “ What makes a serial killer?” comes up in our heads the first answer we come up with is “they were just born like that”, but really that is not the case. Research shows serial killers dealt with significant abuse as children spanning from psychological, physical, and even sexual abuse which points to a serial killer being made not born (Mullany, 2018). Why a person is evil is a combination of things and there are many reasons why a person can end up being evil. A study by the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (Brogaard, 2012) shows that psychopathy is 60 % heritable which shows that being a psychopath is more likely to do with DNA than upbringing (IBID, 2012). Another study by the University conducted brain scans that revealed that psychopaths had decreased connectivity between the amygdala and the Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). When the connection between the amygdala and the vmPFC is low, negative emotions aren’t felt which makes sense because serial murderers show no remorse when they kill and if caught they share no guilt (IBID, 2012).

In the 1960s Forensic psychologist, J.M MacDonald came up with the “ MacDonald Triangle” A.K.The “triad of homicidal personality which familiarized three behavioral red flags that serial killers often suffered as children bed wetter, firesetter, and animal abuser/killer. The triangle often applied to most serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy ( Katsavdakis in Serio, 2018). Unfortunately, the research became outdated as research moved on and the population started assuming that everyone that fell into the triad was a homicidal maniac. Unsurprisingly, no one really knows the answer to the famous question “Born or Made? The most reasonable explanation is that the majority of serial killers are genetically born with some sort of “murderous” gene and then are raised in an environment that is toxic and cultivated hate towards a specific group of people.

Ted Bundy; one of the most infamous serial killers, had a healthy childhood but, had a strained relationship with his stepfather and was frequently bullied at school. During his teenage years, he recalled walking down the street looking for any type of pornography or any open windows to peek inside. He was also very antisocial and had a very lengthy criminal record. Bundy eventually turned his life around and graduated from college seeking law but quickly and ironically killed his first victim in 1974 as well as 28 other young women from 1974-1978. Now those 28 victims are the only ones accounted for but it’s estimated that he is responsible for hundreds of young, innocent lives ( Jenkins, 2019). I believe in this situation his environment affected him negatively and lead him to kill.

As well as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer had a similar situation; normal childhood, but as he got older he became “withdrawn and uncommunicative” and began to close himself off from the world and turned to examine dead animals bodies and heavy drinking (Crime Museum, 2017). During the summer of 1978, his parents were in the middle of a divorce and Jeffrey was all alone, he manifested those dark thoughts into the real world and committed his first murder when he was just eighteen ( I.B.I.D, 2017). Whenever Dahmer was killed he drugged, raped, dismembered, and ate his victims. Experts believe he did so in order to remember the experience as much as possible and he wanted his victims in such a powerless state so they could never leave. Eventually, his fantasies became something surreal, at one point he tried to pour muriatic acid in a hole he made in the victim’s head to create a zombie- someone who would never leave him and do as he pleases ( Eloise, 2017). I believe Jeffrey was born with the serial killer trait because he became very distant as he got older, which is weird since he did have a normal childhood but I think something triggered his actions; the trigger which should be his parent’s divorce led him to become an alcoholic and become closed off which lead to those “dark thoughts” being developed and making his fantasies a reality by murdering 17 males.

Another example of a prolific serial killer is John Wayne Gacy. Gacy was abused as a child by a family friend, he grew up in a house with a very strict, totalitarian father. Gacy seems to have wanted to demonstrate to his father that he was worthy

Sexual sadistic offenders tend to exhibit more arousal behavior to control and dominate their victims. Dr. Kostas Katsavdakis ( Serio, 2018) explains that what is most arousing to them isn’t the pain they inflict it’s in fact that they can engage in such violent acts ( Katsavdakis in Serio, 2018). Neuroimaging studies looking at the difference between a normal brain and a psychopaths brain shows that an impulse killer; someone who beat someone up till death has a lot less function in the prefrontal cortex- which controls behavior but, a serial killer actually has a high functioning prefrontal cortex but has a low functioning amygdala which is shrunken by 18 % ( Serio, 2018).

There are 6 phases of a serial killer, the first of the “Aura phase” which starts off as the killer begins to fantasize so much on an idea playing out in their head that they lose grip on what’s real. As they become more and more closed off they become antisocial as the fantasies become violent then he turns to drugs and/or alcohol drawn from a childhood experience. The killer eventually gets to a point where he needs to act out said fantasies and he enters into- The trolling phase, where the killer searches for a victim; someone that specifically matches the very well dreamt up fantasy. During this phase, they will start looking for different locations to find their victim as well as a place to kill the victim and to hold them, hostage, if needed. After that phase the murderer moves into- The wooing phase, where the victim is finally captured and once he has said victim he moves into- The capture phase where the victim is entrapped. Now that he has passed the wooing and capturing the killer reveals who he is and potentially kills, locks up the victim, or makes them unconscious (Inside the Criminal Mind, 2018). Most serial murderers will stay with the body after death and usually may engage in sexual acts with the body after death; necrophilia (Katsavdakis in Serio, 2018). After the victim is killed the offender steps into- The totem phase which basically is that the killer gathers mementos from the victims sometimes even body parts in order to hang on to the feeling of empowerment he had to hold off ( Inside the Criminal Mind, 2018).

Theodore Robert Bundy most commonly referred to as Ted Bundy was one of the most infamous American serial killers in history. His known active killing spree was between 1973 and 1978. Before his execution Ted confessed to over 30 murders, although police suspect the actual number is estimated to be 35 or more. His technique was to entice young women into being alone with him then kidnap, thrash and strangle them to death. He confessed to acts of rape, mutilation and necrophilia with his victims. He escaped twice from county jails prior to his final capture in 1978, and was executed by electric chair in Florida January 24th 1989.

Bundy lived with his mother and grandparents on the outskirts of Philadelphia during early childhood. His mother didn’t know who Ted’s father was and to avoid the social shame that came with being a young unwed mother, his grandparents claimed Ted as their son. He reportedly grew up believing that his mother was his older sister, and did not learn the truth about his biological parents until 1974. (IMDb) His grandfather was known to be temperamentally unpredictable, cruel toward animals, totalitarian, and a user of pornography. Bundy reported a strong early attachment to him. In junior high school, Bundy was frequently bullied by his fellow male students for his reservedness. He performed well academically, but was socially introverted and somewhat awkward. Later he became aware during high school that he did not understand the social part of life, nor did he understand friendships, relationships or why people wanted those things. He also had an allurement with brutal forms of pornography, and enveloped crime books and magazines on sexually violent topics. He later went on to become an honor student in psychology at the University of Washington, and was enrolled in law school. He became romantically involved with a female student named Stephanie, the daughter of a wealthy California family. Her family had everything he ever wanted, money, influence, etc. “Ted had a pivotal breakup with his girlfriend Stephanie, which leads him to choose to attack and murder young women who resemble her.” (TSU)

Ted’s development is usually best understood in the context of Ainsworth/Bowlby’s attachment theories, Piaget’s moral development model and Erickson’s psychosocial development theory. (educheer) Louise Bundy was 22 years old when she gave birth to Ted, and was shunned by her church and family. After birth, she left infant Ted at the Elizabeth Lund Home for 3 months and returned to Philadelphia, considering whether to place him up for adoption. Ted was bereft of the proximity and nurturance of his biological mother during a critical development period when important attachments of trust and security are normally met by the caregiver. (Simply Psychology). When she took him home to Philadelphia, the absence of synchrony with his mother was likely characterized by an avoidant/insecure or disorganized/disoriented attachment style, and an important underpinning of healthy emotional development was compromised.

Infants who have inconsistent parents may learn that their caregiver can’t be trusted, consistent with Erickson’s psychosocial development theory. Usually by 8 months, babies behave in ways in which signal a robust preference for one caregiver, usually the mother. Ted later recalled only an attachment to his grandfather of unknown quality, as his grandmother was known to be depressed and treated with electroshock . It is likely that Louise was depressed during this era which likely predisposed him to negative affect, self-directed coping, and interactive failure. Very little is documented about Ted’s infant temperament, although fluctuation was a temperamental trait observed later in his childhood.

Louise and Ted left for Washington State, a move that disrupted a secure attachment with his grandfather. When his stepfather, Johnnie Bundy, married Louise, Ted spent time with him only grudgingly, despite Johnnie’s efforts to involve him in activities. He later admitted he was self-conscious by his family’s indigence, and felt humiliated at being seen riding in Johnnie’s run-down Rambler, conceivably his earliest documented recollecting of feelings of insufficiency, anger, and a poorly developed self-confidence. Ted began isolating himself in his bedroom with the radio, he enjoyed listening to news broadcasts or talk shows because it gave him the sensation of eavesdropping on others conversations, and it became a major source of invigoration. He kept this activity secret from his parents, along side his first ventures into pornography. His outlying pattern would support an over-productive imagination and fantasy. Such isolation produces characteristics of feelings of inadequacy experienced by other known serial killers.

Bundy sought out women whose appearance and background satisfied his craving to escape his common origins. His predominant interest in early adulthood relationships was to be seen with attractive women and to be admired, and his obsession with social pretense became insatiable leaving him vulnerable to the devastating effects of humiliation. Eventually, Bundy, using generalization, transferred internalized humiliation to his victims. Once uninhibited, the internalized humiliation became a terrible destructive force.