Serial Killer Training Essay

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,

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

In the essay “What Makes a Serial Killer?” author LaDonna Beaty discusses the causes of serial killers. Beaty states, serial killers are the most hated and feared out of all the criminals. Over 5000 people will be victimized each year by serial killers alone, says Beaty. Her research estimates there are 350 serial killers within a large society. Beaty stated that investigations on serial killers had been dated back to 1911. However, she also asks, what does a serial killer look like? Beaty gives the readers great details on her ideal serial killer. For example, he will typically have bloodshot eyes, curly black hair, strong jaws, abnormal ears, straight thin lips, and menacing grins. Although, today, we can’t expect serial killers to have

Serial killers are the byproduct of many different things: trauma, death of loved ones, abuse, neglect, adoption, and even witnessing abuse (Are Serial). Serial killers have had to endure a massive amount of something such as trauma or abuse to an unimaginable extent to become what they are; the extent of the abuse, the trauma, the psychological damage they endure is incomprehensible to many. The destruction of one’s innocence can occur at any given time in his or her life, but he or she is more impressionable in his or her youth by the negativism of someone else’s actions (Scott, Shirley L. What Makes Serial Killers Tick ~ Childhood Event). People are susceptible to what they endure in their adolescence, and cruel upbringings, such as

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.

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

Serial killers can be defined as a person who kills multiple people over a long period of time. American media spreads stereotypical information about serial killers. The media portrays serial killers as either a monster or a charming guy next door (Forsyth 868). Serial killers cannot be fitted into the medias cookie-cutter definition. Everyone has experienced unique events throughout their life that shapes their personality and serial killers are not an exception. Ronald Dominique, a serial killer suffered a traumatic event while in jail; he was raped, and this event triggered his serial killings. “Serial murderers like those who kill only once, fit into no single profile; and create too wide a burden to be explained with one idea. They do seem to have one similar characteristic –that is; to blend into society and appear normal” (Forsyth 872).

Brogaard, Berit. "The Making of a Serial Killer." Psychology Today. Sussex Directories, Inc., 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 03 May 2014.

When comparing individuals who become serial killers and their upbringing and trying to understand why and/or how they could do the things they do, you will find a lot of similarities that may help explain their behavior. But complicating things even more in trying to understand these individuals is the fact that they can be so different. Dr. H.H. Holmes is

A serial killer is an individual who has killed three or more people during separate incidents and at possibly different geographic locations where there is a cooling off period between each homicide (Homant & Kennedy, 2014). Researchers have identified several typologies of serial killers, however most of the research has been done on the serial sexual sadist

Killers learn their violence from things they may have been surrounded by including media and family abuse. The Boston Strangler along with John Wayne Gacy suffered abusive parents and grew up to kill many people for unapparent reasons (Gabrielle 3). Killers live unnoticed and hidden from the world until their spree

In examining a serial killer, such as the Zodiac Killer, and a normal homicide suspect there are several factors that are considered. A homicide is the killing of another person, but it

Serial killers have been a rare phenomenon throughout history. Although, they are rare researchers have long since tried to determine characteristics and typologies of serial killers. Their main goal is to get into the minds of these vicious offenders. This article is intends to discuss the different characteristics and typologies that law enforcement, researchers and criminologists have used to tried to explain what create a serial killer and develop a profile in hope to be able to catch serial killers quickly, if not before they kill.

The minds and the inner workings of a serial killer have been analyzed, investigated, and pondered upon for many years. “Questions such as what makes his or her mind tick? Does he or she target one fitting victim? What are his or her motives?” are some of the most common that spring to mind. We all hold the power of being aggressive, of encompassing unthinkable and destructive thoughts of “torture, sadism and murder”, but we do not all become serial murderers (Knight, 21). This deviant behavior is often feared because it displays a small but troubled percentage of people who immerse in the torture and death of other

Though serial killer may have a fairly specific definition, there is no single precise profile for the serial killer. Each has a unique identity, set of motives and methods, and a unique psychopathology that would attempt to explain the mens rea, that is, the purpose or intent of the murder. “Psychological profiling is an investigative tool used strictly to answer the how of the crime, not the why” (Severence et al, 1992; Lanier and Henry, 1998). By examining the psychological make-up of the serial killer, it is often possible to explain the behavior, which might make it a useful tool in solving crimes.