Abstract This paper analyzes the life of Ted Bundy, the serialkiller. The paper considers how his childhood molded him and what his patterns as a killer can tell us about serialkillers in general.
From the Paper "Ted Bundy is perhaps the most notorious serial killer in American history. The fact that Bundy was an intelligent, good looking and charming young man stunned the public as he did not fit the standard image of a serial killer that most people held. However, it is important to consider Bundy's childhood and background in order to understand how a man like Bundy could become a cold blooded rapist and murderer."
Tags: ted bundy, serialkiller, organized, chi omega, power, control
Abstract Serialkillers 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 serialkillers are dissected down to the most minute detail in the hope of understanding what factors contribute to making a 'monster'. This paper shows that what motivates the serialkiller 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 versus genetics is a matter of contention in the study of serialkillers, as is the question of power versus pleasure in the motive. By looking at such serialkillers as John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, David Berkowitz, and Jeffrey Dahmer, this paper provides a clearer understanding of the many influences in developing the antisocial or psychotic personality.
From the Paper "The serial killer who seeks sexual pleasure may be of several different types. "Lust murders can be disorganized or organized, and the sexual orientation can be either heterosexual or homosexual. The primary difference is that an organized lust killer can usually escape police detection." (Connor, 2004). Ted Bundy fits the profile of an organized lust killer, who seemed quite personable, and was able to seduce at least twenty-two women to their deaths. A variety of deviant practices often accompany the lust murder. These may include pedophilia, bestiality, pyromania, necrophilia, torture and cannibalism, although the latter three are usually found in the disorganized serial killer. (Connor, 2004)."
Abstract The paper discusses current views about serial killings, concluding that psychological theories are most pertinent. The paper defines serialkillers, explains myths about them and offers examples of some serialkillers (Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer & others). The paper also discusses the deviant or pathological processes found in serialkillers.
From the Paper "Since ? the media accounts of savage and lurid serial killings and their perpetrators have generated exaggerated and distorted accounts of the extent of the threat posed by serial killers and the etiology of their crimes. Serial killers have diverse backgrounds and personal histories, however, most of them are extremely maladjusted to society and are the product of severe psychological trauma dating back to their troubled childhoods which largely account for their bizarre conduct."
Tags:serial, killers, a, sociological, and, pyschological, view
A comparison of four serialkillers: Bobby Joe Long, Henry Lee Lucas, Otis Toole and Edmund Kemper, using their backgrounds to discuss many different sociological and criminal theories.
Abstract This paper presents in great detail, the life and crimes of four serialkillers. By using various theories, the author tries to find reason or cause for these crimes. Sociological and criminal theories include - head trauma, Patterns of Episodic Aggressive Behavior, Picquerism, Theory of Violence & Childhood Abuse, mental retardation, the Triad, cross dressing & cannibalism and finally environment of abuse, childhood trauma & isolation.
From the Paper "Robert Joe Long was born on October 14,1953 in Kenova, West Virginia. He had a rather unremarkable childhood as serial killers go - he was not a victim of any psychological or physical abuse. Bobby Joe was however, a victim of a series of physical injuries. These injuries are what eventually led Bobby Joe down the bloody path of rape and murder."
Abstract Are serialkillers programmed to kill? Research paper with psychological and genetic background that focuses on early family life and behavioral science methods to capturing such criminals.
From the Paper "Each murder committed by a serial killer is unique. The method that he or she uses to kill, the ways that the victims are chosen, the eventual disposal of the bodies, and the sexual perversions are all a result of many factors. These can be things such as the environment in which he or she was brought up in, the relationship that the parental figures in the family had, the community in which they resided, the friends with which they spent time, the religion which they followed, and the levels of education attained by the killer. The motivation behind these killings is sometimes not apparent. However, most infamous serial killers share some common genetic diseases, familial issues, and disturbed childhoods. Whether they are acting on instinct, are programmed to act the way they do, or are expressing their emotions and frustrations in this perverted way, each serial killer has some sort of motivation for their actions."
Tags: fbi, genetics, jacobs, killer, motivation, psychology, serial
Abstract This paper discusses the definition and psychology behind serialkillers. It compares serialkillers to other types of murderers and criminals and discusses the general profile that serialkillers tend to follow as well as the types of victims that serialkillers tend to choose. The paper then discusses the psychological and sociological factors that motivate serialkillers.
Table of Contents:
Opening Statement: Introduction
First Fact: SerialKillers Tend To Follow A General Profile
Second Fact: SerialKillers Choose Strangers As Their Victims
Third Fact: A SerialKiller Is Motivated By Both Psychological And Sociological Factors
From the Paper "This would suggest that there are other factors at play in the development of the killer, such as social influences and experiences. For example, one of the main features of this type of criminal is that the serial killer is an individual who does not conform to the common social norms and values in society. This in turn can be related to psychological aspects such as lack of restraint and internal control. Researchers such as Egger state that in most cases the serial killer is not mentally ill in any accepted medical sense but rather that they are sick in a different sense."
This paper discusses serialkillers, which the FBI generally defines as someone who kills three or more tomes with a cooling-off period between the crimes.
Abstract This paper explains that, to the public, serialkillers 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 serialkillers 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 serialkillers.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Traits of SerialKillers Causes
Examples of SerialKillers Example
Catching SerialKillers How Many SerialKillers 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."
Abstract This paper discusses psychological profiling of serialkillers. It provides the case example of serialkiller Arthur Shawcross. The writer states that serialkillers have long fascinated and repulsed Americans and the world and that many of them are extremely famous, such as Jack the Ripper and the "Boston Strangler." It discusses how much study has gone in to why some people become serialkillers, and this has helped identify and capture many modern serialkillers. Serialkiller Arthur Shawcross killed eleven people in Rochester, New York during a two-year spree; his profile by the FBI turned out to be amazingly accurate and helped lead to his capture.
From the Paper "What makes a killer take the lives of repeated victims? Serial killers (those who kill more than three victims) have been around for centuries. One reporter writes, "Yet in the last two decades serial killings have become increasingly frequent, with as many as half a dozen peppering the headlines and newscasts simultaneously, terrorizing entire cities and regions" (Methvin, 1995). While this type of murder may be relatively common, it was not until recently that serial killers were seriously studied, and devices were created to help identify and capture serial killers on the loose. That method is psychological profiling."
Abstract This paper discusses how serialkillers almost have the level of cult heroes in the psyche of the United States and other countries. It attempts to define who serialkillers are, what makes them who they are and why they have commanded our interest in such a way.
Outline:
Introduction
Backgrounds of SerialKillers Motivation of SerialKillers Male versus Female SerialKillers Police Hunts for SerialKillers Conclusion
From the Paper "Documentation of crimes felt to be attributable to serial killers have been noted since the 15th Centrury. In the Psychopathica Sexualis, Richard von Krafft Ebing reports an incident of serial murder in Italy in t he 1870s. We all have heard of Jack the Ripper, who terrorized London in 1888. The term serial killer, however, , yet the term only came into popular use sometime in the 1970s. No one is sure who exactly gets the credit for the nomenclature. It was first widely applied to the cases surrounding the murders committed by Ted Bundy and the Son "
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that the serialkiller has become a staple in crime fiction, movies, and television shows, including the recent film 'Zodiac', which tells the story of a serialkiller who terrorized San Francisco for almost a decade. The writer points out that as the latter shows, the serialkiller is a reality and not just a plot device, and the psychopathology of this sort of killer has been studied closely for its cause and different ways in which it is manifested. The writer notes that such studies are of use to psychiatrists, of course, but also to a profiler who uses the data to make assessments of serialkiller cases in order to hone in on a suspect and stop the crimes. The writer concludes that studies of serialkillers are necessarily largely confined to those caught and convicted, leaving some uncertainty about killers who have not been caught and even more about the many who may not even have been discovered or recognized.
From the Paper "Victims may be chosen for their symbolic value as much as for any other reason. A series of murders undertaken for financial gain would not qualify. Cult murders would also be eliminated because there is a different motivation for that sort of crime.
"The serial killer is most often identified as a psychopath or sociopath. The criteria for this disorder have been identified by the American Psychiatric Association as follows. First, this individual shows a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others. This would have been true since the age of 15."
The paper presents a detailed exploration of serialkillers and feminism, using several sources to explore what the feminist film contributes to the understanding by society of serialkillers.
Abstract The paper shows that for many years people have studied the patterns and lives of serialkillers in the effort to establish how they are created; and other studies are conducted to discuss the pattern of the victims of the serialkillers. It shows that since the 1960's the women's movement has been in full force-- from housewife and helpmate to equality in the world between the genders. The paper examines several works which have been published that have examined the feminist role, and reaction to serialkillers. Books examined include "In Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film" by Carol J. Clover and Mark Seltzer's "SerialKillers: Death and Life in America's Wound Culture".
From the Paper "Chapter six of the book discusses the popular psychology of the serial killer. In this area of the book the reader is taken on a journey of what the popular beliefs are when it comes to serial killers(Seltzer, 1998). This chapter also addresses the victim even if not directly. It manages to dovetail with Clover's opinion that serial killers in films are not the heroes."
Abstract This paper discusses the nature of a serialkiller. It specifically looks at whether serial killing can be considered to be an addiction and if we can learn more about a serialkiller by perceiving it as an addiction. The paper describes the major types of serialkillers and discusses the nature of addiction. The paper finally questions if being a serialkiller is an addiction, if there are possible interventions to help him or her with this malady.
From the Paper "While rare, this gender bias in serial killers is occasionally bypassed. Often falling into their own separate category, female serial killers are more often than not associated with therapeutic settings in hospitals or nursing homes. These are nurturing settings that also allow them to be in complete control over a patient, usually an elderly or terminally ill patient, but not necessarily so. Although not officially categorized as such, they are referred to as the lethal caretakers, or more sensationally as the Angels of Death. "This contemporary Angel of Death embodies an especially pernicious darkness in our humanity by systemically attacking the weak and defenseless who have been involuntarily placed into her care or must rely on her for comfort and support" (Kelleher, and Kelleher 60). Aileen Wuornos is perhaps one of the most famous and atypical examples of a female serial killer. Although debatable, she actually falls under the genre of Hedonistic Gain Killer; killing truck drivers and other motorists for their money and their cars (Jenkins)."
Abstract This paper discusses serialkillers, specifically the roles of gender in determining serialkillers. It looks at some of the theories of what drives serialkillers and suggests that many of the theories are based on male case studies that often do not hold true for female serialkillers. It also presents a study in the form of a survey to illustrates its hypothesis.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Hypothesis
Participants
Method
From the Paper "The idea that all serial killers are driven by sexual fantasies has been challenged by some theorists, who suggest that these murders are less defined by sex -- even when it plays a functional role in their execution -- and more driven by some other psychological aspect, such as the desire for power or status. (It is somewhat ironic that theorists have traditionally argued that rape is always about power, rather than sex, but that serial murder is always about sex) According to Buss, serial killers may actually be motivated by status. Serial killers, in this idea, are seeking revenge on the world for denying them the status they feel they have earned, while mass murderers are attempting to gain or maintain status by killing those who threaten it. This might be applied both to sadistic sexual murders and to what might be called "feminine" murders of intimate associates."
Abstract The paper first examines the definition of a serialkiller. The author then discusses common characteristics of the psychological profiles of serialkillers and the possible social and genetic factors that make one a serialkiller. The paper also explores the gender differences and characteristics that maker female serialkillers less renown than their male counterparts.
From the Paper "Women constitute nearly 15% of all serial murders in the United States and that number is growing the more women are included in the research. This however is not a stand of feminism, serial murder is a sickening phenomenon in America, it is the point of this paper to address the problems leading up to female serial killers such as delinquency among America's female teenagers, the cultural view of women as deviants, the stigma associated with being female and being a criminal and the betrayal of tradition which female serial killers represent."
Abstract This paper explains that Aileen Wuornos, murder of seven men, is the only serial female killer in U.S. criminal history to be classified as a sexual predator. The paper goes on to relate Wuornos' life, which was devastated by abandonment, childhood sexual abuse and a sense of worthlessness and evil from which she lost all ability to feel empathy for others. The paper uses attachment theory to analyze these factors that led to Wuornos' unique life as a serialkiller.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Serialkillers Wournos as SerialKiller Attachment Theory
The Life of Aileen Wournos
Early Life and Childhood
Relationship with Grandfather
Later Childhood and Teenage Years
Young Adulthood
Relationship with Tyria Moore
Wournos' Criminal Career
The Murder of Richard Mallory
Modus Operandi
Arrest, Trial and Conviction
Conflicting Testimony
Verdict and Sentence
Arlene Pralle
Execution
Analysis and Conclusion
Attachment Theory Applied to Aileen Wuornos' Case
Conclusion
From the Paper "According to Bruce Arrigo, the most damage to Wournos was at the hands of her grandfather, Lauri. What Aileen learned from him was that she was wicked, worthless and hated by those who should have loved her; those who should love her inflict pain; life is about terror, rejection and pain; and that others cannot be trusted. By developing such an "internal working model" of herself, Wournos lost all ability to feel empathy for others; she was in essence, emotionally "dead," the detachment from others being the only way to protect herself from others."
