ipl-logo

Serial Killer Essay

1886 Words8 Pages

What makes a serial killer and What can we do about them? A serial killer is a person who has conducted two or more unlawful murders, in separate events. They come in all different shapes and sizes, all with one thing in common, murder.
According to Worldpopulationreview, the United states has over three thousand documented serial killers. “As of September 4, 2016, the database contains information on 4,743 serial killers and 13,105 victims of serial killers” People have become obsessed with the idea of serial killers and true crime is a huge interest across america. All the documentaries all the teen girls watch go over who these killers are and what they did, but never why. Why do these people do what they do? Why did Jeffrey Damher feel …show more content…

Looking through multiple studies and scans, killers brains either under or over compensate. The Dana Foundation conducted a brain study on twenty-two serial killers. In the PET scans they discovered a trend, abnormal prefrontal cortexes, under performing. Taking into account an under performing frontal cortex this causes a few things to happen in the brain. The amygdala, an almond shaped structure in the brain, responsible for controlling and feeling emotions, is one of the subcortical structures deep in the brain affected. “Abnormalities in the amygdala could accord with the fearlessness theory of violence, since offenders have been found to have reduced autonomic arousal” (Penttila). This malfunction causes a person to feel uncontrollable and outrageous, fits of anger, aggression, and violence. Fits of uncontrolled aggression tend to lead to violent crimes. The dana foundation explores more than just the neurological side of the killers, they state that “At a personality level, frontal damage in neurological patients is associated with impulsiveness, loss of self-control, immaturity, lack of tact, inability to modify and inhibit behavior appropriately, and poor social judgment. These, too, could predispose to violence”(Penttila). Now, having a baseline idea of what is going on inside the brain, we can begin to ask, how did they end up like

Show More
Related

Analysis Of The Rory Conde: The Tamiami Trail Killer

1305 Words | 6 Pages

Mass murderers and serial killers are nothing new to today’s society. We learn about them in TV shows, books, research papers, in our classes, etc. Psychologists have spent decades trying to uncover the truth behind these killers’ madness. Serial killers vary in their behaviors, techniques, desires, mental illnesses and their personal lives. Have you ever heard of the Tamiami Trail Killer?

Read More

John Wayne Gacy Research Paper

1731 Words | 7 Pages

A murderer and a serial killer differ in significant ways. The average murder usually consist of one single act. This can be a crime of passion, revenge, or malice. Yet, once the act is complete, many times the killer doesn’t repeat the offense. However, a serial killer typically murders three or more people.

Read More

Eastern Shore Murder Essay

879 Words | 4 Pages

Have you ever thought about how many murderers you have encountered just living your daily life? The people of the Eastern Shore may understand how this feels. The Eastern Shore experiences hundreds of murders a year, however, just three shocking murders affected the way the local community continues to view the life around them. Murders are a commonly committed crime throughout the world, yet, very few people realize that they have more than likely experienced an encounter with a murderer just carrying on with their daily life. One may wonder, what causes someone to become a murderer, serial killer, or any other kind of criminal.

Read More

Ted Bundy Research Paper

1064 Words | 5 Pages

Hey You! Yeah I’m talking to you, do you know about serial killers, about their mindsets and motives. Serial killers are “people who have murdered three or more people over a month period with a down time between each death.” Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer were both notorious serial killers, Jeffrey Dahmer had a worse childhood, which could have led to the life he choose to live in, Whereas Ted Bundy’s sneaky and articulate ways made it more difficult to capture him. Serial killers are influenced more by their heredity, the culture they're surrounded by, mentality and personal background, which causes them to act out in abnormal ways.

Read More

Nature Vs. Nurture In Serial Killers

2712 Words | 11 Pages

In order for them to be considered a serial killer each kill has to be a separate event that is controlled by pleasure or psychological thrill (Research Guides: Serial Killers: Introduction, 2023). Serial killers most often become egocentric due to their lack of guilt and empathy, these classifications characterize serial killers as psychopaths (Research Guides: Serial Killers: Introduction, 2023). To hide their psychopathic tendencies and appear to be normal most killers wear a “mask of sanity”(Research Guides: Serial Killers: Introduction,

Read More

What Neuroscience Tell Us About Evil Summary

1920 Words | 8 Pages

The article What Neuroscience Tell Us about Evil informs the public about the minds of sociopaths and psychopaths and how they differ from that of a normal individual. The article reveals the results of an advanced brain-imaging technique call FMRI which uses magnetic fields to detect neural activity. Researchers from all over the world have been taking scans of the brains of sociopaths and psychopaths when they are shown graphic and violent images and comparing them to normal individuals when shown the same graphic and violent images. The research shows heavy brain activity in the amygdala in normal individuals whereas in sociopaths and psychopaths, there is little to no brain activity in the amygdala. According to the article, some researchers

Read More

H. Holmes: The First Serial Killer

1252 Words | 6 Pages

When someone thinks of a serial killer, the first though is some homeless bozo out on the street, looking to kill off a young girl and take her money and possessions. They imagine them to be antisocial and awkward, with an obvious danger factor. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Most serial killers would be impossible to tell apart from the everyday person. They are usually well dressed and eloquent, with an outstanding ability to charm anyone and everyone to their whim.

Read More

Gary Ridgeway: An Unidentified Serial Killer

1271 Words | 6 Pages

Then, this can help figure out what is causing them to make the decisions they are choosing to make and why they are showing those traits. Relojo states, “Studies have shown that a malfunctioning amygdala, the region of the brain responsible for regulating emotions and aggression, may be involved in the development of violent behaviour.” By scanning the brain, it can help people find things like a malfunctioning amygdala and can reveal low levels of serotonin. Both of these things can cause the type of behavior that serial killers act on. The traits that a serial killer may display may come from

Read More

Serial Killers: The Birth Of H. Holmes

2450 Words | 10 Pages

There are different types of serial killers; some are worse than others. People often wonder why these people do certain things, for example, why they target specific people, or what has influenced their behavior. Taking a deeper look into serial killers a lot can be learned about their childhood and what may have led to them turning out the way they did. Most of the time they do not just wake up one day and decide to kill someone; rather, they are influenced by something or someone. It all starts with looking at their childhood, what their addiction turns into, and what happens to them in the end.

Read More

Serial Killer Criteria

516 Words | 3 Pages

Criteria: Describe the criteria for a serial killer and what did the person do to qualify as a serial killer? A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people. The murders take place within a certain period of time and takes a break (cooling off period) between murders. The FBI believe it’s two or more murders which are done as separate events, and may be done with a second offender.

Read More

The Brain Behind The Facade Of Serial Killers

1329 Words | 6 Pages

Serial killers that have experienced death at an early age in childhood can suffer from fractured identity syndrome. A serial killer who has had trauma in adolescent years can cause a much more visible fracture in their personality. Following incidents after the trauma can cause the person to explode with their emotion or possibly irrational and harmful things to themselves or others. Given the effect of childhood and the abuse as well as everything that has happened it is implied that something within the person will affect their mental state.

Read More

Serial Killer Theory Essay

682 Words | 3 Pages

The theory used in this journal pertains to the race, age, and gender of a serial killer; how they kill, the race, age, and gender of the victim; and how the killer lived before and during the killings. Before beginning his own study, Pakhomou (2004) found that “Serial (sexual killers are believed to be mostly white males in their twenties and thirties (at the time of the crimes) with above-average intelligence who commit intra-racial (within the same racial group) murders of strangers” (p. 220). Approximately half of them never had consensual sex with another adult, some joining the military, about half did not finish high school, and they had a history of burglary and sexual offenses prior to murders. There is no set reason or evidence that explains why people commit sexual homicide; however, there are many theories. One set factor that all researchers agree on is that “the most monstrous and most perverse sexual acts are usually committed by persons of sound mind, who are functionally rigid (in terms of a number of activities that they carry on), obsessed with fantasy and who have a determination to do what they want” (Pakhomou, 2004, p. 221).

Read More

Informative Speech On Serial Killers

926 Words | 4 Pages

A lot of serial killers have an aversion of rejection that is often irrational. 3. Power is a huge one. According to Twisted Minds the power to cause pain is the only power that matters(2007). C. Fun fact, the stereotype for a serial killer is a white middle age man who has no military background.

Read More

Serial Killer Essay

1099 Words | 5 Pages

According to CNN 10, “Serial murders are relatively rare. Fewer than one percent of homicides during a given year are committed by serial killers, the FBI reports” (“Serial Killers Fast Facts”). The term serial killer was first coined in the 1800s; H.H. Holmes, 1890s, was considered the first serial killer in history, but many forget about Jack the Ripper, still unknown to this day, who terrorized the women of London during the early 1880s. There are numerous serial killers within society, but who is considered a serial killer? A serial killer is known as one that has committed two or more homicides, considerably one they believe is an “ideal victim”, within a certain timespan; These murders can span days, months, or even years, and take place

Read More

Serial Killer Essay

558 Words | 3 Pages

According to the article “Why serial killers kill”, there was a quote that says “Probably a combination of genetics and experience. Research shows that certain genes can predispose people to violence. (One gene, particularly the so-called warrior gene, is present in 30 percent of the population and has been linked to increased

Read More

More about Serial Killer Essay

Related Topics

Open Document