Serial Killers: An Overview

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, to the public, serial killers appear to be so skilled and clever that they are a particular worry for society and a hidden danger for which there seems to be no shield or protection. The author points out that, in addition to disrupted childhoods, there seems to be some genetic link to criminal behavior as demonstrated by twin studies, which have shown that patterns of significant antisocial behavior are more common between identical twins than non-identical siblings. The paper stresses that serial killers are caught because, regardless of how clever they are, eventually, they leave some kind of evidence behind that forensic science, which has made tremendous advances in recent years, can use to identify the killer. The paper includes many examples of serial killers.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Traits of Serial Killers
Causes
Examples of Serial Killers
Example
Catching Serial Killers
How Many Serial Killers are There?

From the Paper:

"While most serial killers are white, some belong to other races. Most are male, but about 15% are female. Female serial killers are often harder to detect because they work so quietly, often using poison, kill with longer gaps between victims, and typically murder for financial gain, although a few, such as Aileen Wuornos, use more violent methods and target strangers much as men tend to do. The average male serial killer will have 10 - 13 victims before being stopped."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ferguson, Kathryn H. 2005. "You Don't Know Jack." Journal of Australian Studies, No. 84.
• Barber, Mike. 2003. "Serial Killers: They're Not Always Who We Think." Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA), Feb. 21.
• Bardsley, Marilyn; Bell, Rachael; and Lohr, David. 2005. "BTK - Birth of a Serial Killer," in Crime Library. CourtTV. Accessed via the Internet 4/13/06. <http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/btk/>
• Breed, Allen G. 2005. No title. AP Online, March 5.
• Giannangelo, Stephen J. The Psychopathology of Serial Murder: A Theory of Violence. Praeger Publishers, 1996.

More papers on Serial Killers: An Overview:

• Research Paper # 10658 : "Serial Killers: An Overview"
• Research Paper # 128561 : "Female Serial Killers"
• Research Paper # 45393 : "Serial Killers: Personality Traits"

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