Informative Serial Killers Essay

The mind of a serial killer is not right and is considered a psychopath. This can be caused by brain damage. “After Henry Lee Lucas was convicted, he underwent numerous neurological tests that revealed fairly extensive brain damage. Small contusions indicated a frontal lobe injury, and there was damage to his temporal lobe and pools of spinal fluid at the base of his brain” (Vronsky, 2005). Lucas’s brain damage is just one cause. Another common reason is that the serial killer would of had an abusive childhood. “Traditionally, the answer has been a horrific upbringing. Most serial killers were abused as children, many hideously so.” (Sandi, n.d) This can have a range of different abusive activities. One example would be an abusive mother. The killer’s mother would have abused him therefore making him hate women. That would be an example of how a man killing female serial killer would relate. He would physically abuse the women just like his mother abused him. Another form of abuse is an alcoholic parent. The serial killer would wait outside of a bar and look to see of his potential victims were under the influence. If they were then they would most likely kill the person. A serial killer can also have a euphoric moment. He could see his

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 red-flag behaviors are known as the “triad” of symptoms.) Brain injuries are common. Some are very intelligent and have shown great promise as successful professionals. They are also fascinated with the police and authority in general (Scott).

Serial murder is one of the most baffling crimes that occur in the U.S. and all over the world. Knight (2006) defines serial murder as the killing of three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a significant cooling-off period. The cooling off period may be weeks, months or even years long. Researchers have proposed various psychological, biological and sociological theories that offer a partial understanding of the nature of serial murder. Some propose that the basis for criminal behavior is a predisposition to violence as well as a mix between environment, personality traits and biological factors. Serial killers are predominantly male. Only 3 percent of serial murders are committed by women (U.S. News and World Report,

A basic serial killer is a murderer of two or more victims at different times. There are several types of serial killers. The wildest category would be the Thrill- seekers. Thrill-seekers are known for being fearless of danger, having no remorse for their murders, irrational attitude, and impulsive behavior. They seem to enjoy the adrenaline rush they get when they kill and gain pleasure from doing it. The victims are usually strangers who they may stalk to make it more exciting as “a hunt” (‘Thrill Seekers”). Serial Killers are portrayed all the same in Hollywood. Average serial killers are usually old, uncanny men who go after women for sex or money but, Aileen Wuornos turned

A serial killer is traditional defined as the separate killings of three or more people by an individual over a certain period of time, usually with breaks between the murders. (Angela Pilson, p. 2, 2011) This definition has been accepted by both the police and academics and therefore provides a useful frame of reference (Kevin Haggerty, p.1, 2009). The paper will seek to provide the readers with an explanation of how serial killers came to be and how they are portrayed in the media.

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?

There are many myths that describe, or stereotype a serial killer. You may have heard that serial killers are all dysfunctional loners or that all serial killers are white males. One might also hear that

Serial killing is a topic that has long fascinated those who study psychology, criminal behavior, and even the general public. Figures such as Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and Jeffrey Dahmer have been the subject of numerous studies, documentaries, and books. Females do not readily come to mind when one thinks of serial killers because it is a rare phenomenon. Aileen Wuornos is one female who brought the concept of a female serial killer to the public’s attention, but she is not the only woman who has committed these types of crimes. PK (a pseudonym) is another female studied who was similar to Aileen in that she was also predatory and reactive. Serial killers have different methods and traits, but some primary motivations can be gleaned from studying their case reports. One can also attempt to ascertain why the female serial killer is such a rarity and whether their motivations are similar.

Throughout history the majority of female killers have murdered out of greed, passion, or self defense. True female serial killers are rare.

The facts about serial killers are most true. One of them is that serial killers tend to be insecure and irrationally scared of rejection. (What) Furthermore, serial killers are most charming and persuasive, but it is only a manipulative act designed to lure victims into traps. (What) Thrill seekers feel that punishment won't work due to them being impulsive and fearless of what may happen to them. (Motives) Psychotic serial

Another characteristic of a serial killer is sexually stressfully events in childhood. Obviously, violent sexual events during childhood impact a child’s life tremendously. In my research, I found several known serial killers were forced as kids to dress up like girls for punishment. Unfortunately, some of them ended up with horrible diseases from it. More often than not, it was by the child’s parents/family member. It was these experiences that led to fantasies later on in their

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

Many things today confuse, yet enthrall the masses. War, murder, medical science, incredible rescues, all things you would see on The History Channel. There is another topic that is also made into documentaries however, serial killers. Dark twisted people that commit multiple murders are of interest to the population, but what caused them to be this way. What horrible tragic set of events could twist a man to murder one or many people. Could Schizophrenia, psychopathy, or sociopathy? Many people have researched this topic and believe that childhood trauma, heavy drugs during the growing phase of life, as well as many other things have twisted the minds of men such as Jeffery Dahmer, Charles Manson,

go back as far as the fifteenth century, only a few were written about prior to

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