Criminal intent is a topic that has caught the attention of many. Current events, TV shows and movies have played a role in sparking people’s interest. Finding why, who, and how serial killers kill is a difficult task. Many killers have mental differences or disorders. People like this have very similar traits and behaviors, most likely due to the same difference in their brain structure. Many serial killers suffer from a mental disorder called Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD). People who are diagnosed with APD commonly experience persistent lying, manipulating others, arrogance, problems with law enforcement, lack of empathy, and being irresponsible (“Antisocial”). Charm, manipulation, and intimidation are psychopathic traits (Pemment). One killer who had Antisocial Personality Disorder was the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer. His hatred toward homosexuals and African Americans motivated …show more content…
While Bundy was never officially diagnosed, a study was conducted where 73 psychologists were given a paper with material concerning Ted Bundy. Nearly 80% of the psychologists said he had Antisocial Personality Disorder (Samuel). A forensic psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Helen Morrison studied serial killers and how their minds work. Dr. Morrison has interviewed 135 serial killers and has found many similarities. She believes a similarity is a chromosome abnormality that starts to show itself in puberty. This abnormality mainly affects men, but can occur in women too. When people have this abnormality, they never seem to have an attachment to the world, which is why they aren’t sympathetic towards their victims. Another similarity in serial killers is maltreatment or abuse during their childhood. In a study that included 50 killers, it was found that 70 percent were mistreated during their youth and 50 percent went through psychological abuse